Norwegian delegation meets local labour leaders

Representatives of a Norwegian trade union and human rights organisation met with local labour leaders to exchange views over the status of trade unionism in Pakistan, on Tuesday.

The meeting held was held at the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler). The Norwegian Trade Union Federation was represented by its general secretary, Renee Kristin Rasmuseen, whereas the Norwegian Human Rights Fund was represented by its executive director, Sandra Petersen, maintained a statement issued by Piler.

Piler executive director Karamat Ali said on the occasion that the situation of trade unions in Pakistan was quite unfavourable for workers as only one percent of the total work force was associated with trade unions.

In such a situation, he said, the labourers fail to exercise their right to collective bargaining and thus suffer economic problems.

“The introduction of contractual employment and privatisation has eroded trade union movements,” he stated. Despite acquiring the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)-Plus status to export goods free of duty in the European market on condition that it would implement 27 international conventions and covenants safeguarding labour rights, Pakistan has taken no serious efforts to implement the conventions, he added.

Eight core labour rights conventions introduced by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are also a part of these 27 conventions which should be implemented for Pakistan to continue enjoying the GSP-Plus status, Ali added.

Speaking on the occasion Rasmuseen said that in Norway 48.5 percent of workers were not registered with any trade union, whereas over 26 percent of the total workforce of Norway is associated with her federation.

She informed that there are 920,000 members in her federation which comprise 50.1 percent females and 49.9 males. Around 125,000 members were under 30 years of age, whereas about 100,000 were academics and 18,000 students.

Sindh Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retd) Majida Razvi also attended the meeting.

Among senior trade unionists who attended the meeting were Habibuddin Junaidi, convener of Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee; Shafiq Gahri of Sindh Labour Federation; Liaqat Sahi of Democratic Workers Union (CBA), State Bank of Pakistan; Mir Zulfiqar Ali of Workers Education and Research Organisation; Qamrual Hassan of IUF; Jannat Hussain of PTUDC; Shaikh Majeed of Sindh Labour Federation; Rafia Gulani of Sindh Hari Poryat Council; Jalil Shah of KPT Labour Union; Dr Ghulam Haider Malookhani of Green Rural Development Organisation; Zahid Farooq of Urban Resource Centre; Mirza Maqsood of Voice of Pakistan Steel Officers; Akram Khaskheli of Hari Welfare Association and Zulfiqar Shah.