Utility Stores staff calls off strike, to open from today

Islamabad: The employees of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) called off the strike and announced to open all stores across the country from Saturday (today).

All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union (Chairman) Arif Shah has called off the strike and announced to open all stores across the country from today. He said that they have given 10 days of concerned management to acceptance of their all demands. He said that if concerned management did not accept their demands after 10 days, they will go on strike again.

On Friday, thousands of poor customers gathered in front of government run utility stores in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad a day before the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan to get relief but had to turn back empty handed due to countrywide shut down of stores.

The poor public raised full throated slogans against government fearing they will not get any kind of relief, as this year there will no ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ and now closure of utility stores has added to their woes. The call for the shutdown was given by All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union Chairman Arif Shah for an indefinite period till the acceptance of their demands. The negotiations in between Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Managing Direction Omar Lodhi and All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union (Chairman) Arif Shah did not auger well on Thursday night.

All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union wanted regularisation of all contractual and daily wage employees. The union representatives also wanted raise in salaries of all (regular and contractual) employees. They also wanted to pay all pending dues to employees. On the other hand, Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Managing Director Omar Lodhi claimed to increase the salaries of daily wage employees from Rs15,000 to Rs17,500.

Government has provided Rs50 billion to the USC to provide subsidy on 19 items during Ramazan. The package aimed at providing relief and facility to the middle income and lower income people by providing them essential items at a lower price through countrywide network of utility stores.

The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) would provide subsidy from Rs5 to Rs50 on different commodities including flour, ghee/cooking oil, rice, tea, sugar, pulses, basin, dates and syrups.