PESHAWAR: Leaders and representatives of the labour unions on Wednesday asked the government to ensure the rights of the workers and refrain from privatising the state-owned entities.
The labourers held rallies in different parts of the provincial capital on the Labour Day to demand better wages and other facilities.
The Pakistan Railways Workers Union staged a rally outside the Peshawar Press Club to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the workers of Chicago. A large number of Railways workers and labourers attended the rally. Divisional president of the union, Raham Taj Shinwari, led the rally. The participants of the rally were holding banners inscribed with slogans in support of the labourers.
Speaking on the occasion, the union’s general secretary Riaz Kashmiri said the pendency in the case of the workers at the Islamabad High Court for the regularisation had caused discontent among the workers.
He said that despite the recommendation of the National Assembly committee led by former MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhel and National Assembly Speaker’s ruling the workers were not regularised in violation of the law. He said the families of the workers were deprived of their rights due to the disregard to the recommendations of the committee. He said delaying the case at the court was denying the workers of their constitutional rights.
He asked the courts to stop the exploitation of the workers. The speakers vowed that they would continue efforts to ensure the rights of all the affected workers in all the government departments.
The other speakers said rising inflation had exacerbated the living conditions of the workers who could not afford a decent living standard for their families. They asked the government to announce a raise in the wages of the workers every year in proportion to the rising inflation. They asked the government to stop privatising the government departments and regularise the contractual employees. They said the rulers should curb their expenditures and hand over the governance of the departments to the workers in democratic manner.
The speakers said the workers could pull the government departments out of the financial crisis but the imported consultants and high paying officials could not achieve their objectives.
They appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to ensure the supremacy of the Parliament and implement the recommendations of the parliamentary committee forthwith. The People’s Labour Bureau Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a rally outside the Peshawar Press Club. The bureau’s provincial president Zulqarnain and others addressed the participants.
The speakers said they would resist the privatisation of the Water and Power Development Authority, airports, Pakistan International Airlines, Railways, universities and colleges. They said that any decision regarding national institutions should be taken in accordance with the interests of the people. They said that a handful of ruling elites should not have the right to take decisions on behalf of the entire nation.
The speakers demanded a 100 percent raise in the salary and pension of the government employees, Rs50,000 minimum wage for the labourers and a minimum Rs25,000 for the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution’s pensioners. They asked the government not to transfer the Workers Welfare Fund to the province and reinstate and regularise the dismissed workers.
The speakers said that a joint meeting of all the labour unions was being held in Islamabad on May 7 to decide the future line of action.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Labour Wing staged a rally which was led by PTI leader Arif Yousaf, president labour wing Mian Noor Muhammad Kakakhel and other leaders. The speakers said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was committed to providing better working conditions to the labourers. The speaker said that PTI would extend support to the labourer at every forum.
NOWSHERA: Provincial Minister for Labour Fazal Shakoor has said the government will spare no effort to help the working class get their due rights. Speaking at a gathering of workers in connection with the Labour Day, he said the government had come up with a roadmap for the rights of the labourers, adding it would be implemented in letter and spirit. The minister said the government would raise the minimum wage and ensure the payment of the death and marriage grants to workers. He said the government would take steps to ensure provision of health and education facilities to children of labourers.
Speaking on the occasion, the representatives of the labourers demanded the government to increase the minimum wage in the next budget as it was difficult for them to make ends meet in the face of rising inflation. They said the government should also raise the pension amount keeping in view the soaring price-hike.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The Pakistan Workers Federation Bannu Region took out a rally to highlight the problems of workers on the occasion of the Labour Day. Provincial President of Local Government Employees Federation Anwar Kamal Khan led the rally. A good number of workers participated in it. Chairman of Pakistan Workers Federation Bannu Region Mohammad Rehan, Vice-Chairman Qaiser Kamran and others addressed the gathering.
The participants of the rally carried banners and placards inscribed with demands of the workers that included facilities and a raise in the minimum wage. The speakers said they would not rest until the workers got their due rights. In Shangla, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation arranged a walk to mark the Labour Day.
A good number of workers and office-bearers of the federation, including Gulab Khan Shahpuri, Abidyar, Shah Saud Advocate and others, participated in the walk. The participants carried banners demanding the government to take steps for the welfare of the mineworkers. They said Shangla was the only district in the country that provided mineworkers. They said the mineworkers should be provided their due rights. Rallies and events were also held in other districts of the province in connection with the day.
