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Friday March 29, 2024

Workers hold rallies for their rights

RawalpindiLike other parts of the country, International Labour Day was observed in Rawalpindi on Friday to recognise the workers’ dignity and appreciate their resistance against injustices and discriminations.Seminars, rallies and conventions were organised by labour wings of political parties, trade unions and NGOs to mark the day.The Rawalpindi Rickshaw Union

By Khalid Iqbal
May 02, 2015
Rawalpindi
Like other parts of the country, International Labour Day was observed in Rawalpindi on Friday to recognise the workers’ dignity and appreciate their resistance against injustices and discriminations.
Seminars, rallies and conventions were organised by labour wings of political parties, trade unions and NGOs to mark the day.
The Rawalpindi Rickshaw Union and Rawalpindi Suzuki Union also took out rallies and urged the government to provide them basic rights.
The activists of the All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF), Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) employees, clerks of the Education Department, sanitary workers and employees of the C&W Department took out rallies in different parts of the city, particularly Kutchery Road and in front of Rawalpindi Press Club. A large number of workers, including women, took part in the rally. Holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against inflation, loadshedding, privatisation and bonded labour, they chanted slogans for the working class rights and pledged to continue their struggle.
A grand function to pay tribute to the labour community was also held at the Convention Centre in which PML-N Rawalpindi President Sardar Naseem was the chief guest.
Hundreds of activists of Pakistan Workers Confederation, Pakistan Mazdoor Ittehad, Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan Employees Welfare Union, Shaheen Workers Union, home-based workers, PHA Workers’ Union, brick kiln workers, Railway Union and Pakistan Union participated in the rallies.
Addressing the workers, labour leaders stressed on the need for unity among all workers of the world to check the monopoly of capitalist forces. “Workers should challenge the monopoly and cartelisation of capitalist forces,” they said.
The labour leaders demanded of the government to follow the proposed labour policy in making labour laws. After getting status of GSP Plus, the government must ensure labour rights, especially of female workers.
They said that thousands of workers were united to get their rights from the ruling class. Pakistani workers are hardworking and intelligent and would never surrender before feudal lords and capitalists. They said workers could not earn bread and butter for their families due to high inflation and power loadshedding. They said the only way of betterment of the working class was people’s democratic revolution.
All-Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation National Workers Union representatives Raja Maskin and Dr Mazhar Awan also addressed a rally taken out to observe the day.
On the other hand, a large number of labourers remained busy in their work in various localities of the city unaware of the importance of the day. “I do not know what Labour Day is or why people observe it. What I know is how to earn Rs600 after 8-hour labour to buy food for my family,” said Imran Ahmed, a labourer working in an under-construction building at Adiala Road.
Siraj Ahmed, another labourer, was of the view that his participation in any rally being taken out for labour rights would not pay him Rs350 or Rs400 after the end of the day. “I will do my work and take money from the owner in the evening to buy food for my family,” he added.