Power companies’ workers protest

LAHORE

A protest day was observed under All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) against the decision of Punjab Labour Department, which was a violation of the decision of the National Industrial Relations Commission of Pakistan, for holding nationwide referendum in Wapda/Electricity Corporatized Companies. 

The protest day was observed all over the country at Quetta, Hyderabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and other major cities of the countries. At Lahore, the workers took out a protest march from Bakhtiar Labour Hall and marched up to Chief Minister House Punjab. The workers were carrying national flags and red flags and banners in support of their demands. It was led by trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed, general secretary of the union, and accompanied by Haji Muhammad Younas, Abdul Shakoor, Muzaffar Mateen, Ch Maqsood Ahmed, Haji Muhammad Latif, Sajid Kazmi, Ch Javed, Nosher Khan, Zafar Shah, Dilawar Khan, Rana Akhter, Rana Muhammad Akram, Malik Zubair and Osama Tariq, secretary All Pakistan Workers Confederation, and other representatives of the union. Addressing the rally, Khurshid Ahmed declared that it is the responsibility of the Punjab Labour Department to honour the National Labour Legislation Industrial Relations Act 2012 under Article 143 of the Constitution and the order of the High Court to extend all cooperation and assistance to carry out the mandate of National Industrial Relations Commission of Pakistan for holding Referendum in WAPDA/Electricity Companies nationwide. Million workers would defeat all divisive forces and would make success their representative trade union in forth coming referendum sixth time consecutively, he vowed.