Labour unions slam ‘non-transparent’ delegate nomination to ILC

ISLAMABAD: Joint Action Committee of Pakistan’s major labour federations have condemned non-transparent and controversial nomination of delegate to represent the country in the International Labour Conference (ILC) to be held in Geneva, next month.

Addressing a news conference here, President of the National Labour Federation (NLF), Shamsur Rehman Swati, General Secretary of the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF), Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen and others unions leaders asked the government to immediately withdraw controversial nomination of delegate for the ILC which had been made in violation of protocols of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

They said International Labour Conference (ILC) is held annually in Geneva under the auspices of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Each member state participates with a tripartite delegation, consisting of representatives from the government, employers, and workers. According to ILO protocols, the workers’ delegate must be nominated by the most representative workers’ organisation in the country.

Regrettably, for the second consecutive year — 2023 and now 2024 — the government of Pakistan has blatantly disregarded this fundamental principle. Instead of nominating a representative from the most representative labour federation, the government has once again appointed a controversial delegation, an unrepresentative individual, as the workers’ delegate. This decision was formally challenged before the ILO Credentials Committee last year.

In response, the government of Pakistan assured the committee that, in future, representation would be accorded to the most representative federation. They said the National Labour Federation (NLF) remains the largest representative workers’ organisation in Pakistan, a status recognised by the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) and other relevant institutions.

They alleged that the nomination sent by the government holds no official position in any active labour organisation, does not meet the ILO’s criteria of a “workman”, and they said that the persons who was nominated by the government belongs to a federation that ranks seventh in the country, as per the latest NIRC report. They demanded the government ensure that the most representative labour federation is granted full and rightful representation at international forums, in line with ILO standards. They also asked the government to immediately cease the appointment of unrepresentative and irrelevant individuals as worker delegates. They suggested that a transparent, inclusive, and consultative nomination process should be devised ensuring that no decisions are made unilaterally. “Should these legitimate demands remain unaddressed, we reserve the right to undertake all lawful and constitutional measures of protest, they warned the government.

Lala Sultan Khan, Secretary General, Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF) and Abdul Sattar Secretary General, All Pakistan Labour Federation (APLF) were also present on the occasion. They said that their coalition enjoys the full support of numerous other labour federations and trade unions across the country.