Workers front to secure rights during pandemic urged

LAHORE:On the occasion of Labour Day (today), Awami Workers Party Punjab called for a united workers front to secure the workers’ rights and basic needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a message on May Day, the party's Punjab leadership said that the working people of the country were facing an existential threat from the pandemic and the global economic crash it had caused. They said the crisis had exposed the inequality of the capitalist order, as millions of workers had lost their jobs and millions more were at risk of losing their livelihood altogether in Pakistan and across the world. They said that unless radical changes were made to the economy to prioritise the fulfillment of the basic needs of the working majority, including basic income, paid leave, health, housing, shelter, and utilities, there would be unimaginably widespread suffering. They called for immediate measures for the protection of the lives, health and livelihoods of essential workers, especially health workers, who were protesting lack of PPE provision by the government across Punjab, Balochistan and other provinces.

“The pandemic increasingly appears to be the defining crisis of our lifetimes. This May Day we are witnessing layoffs of thousands of workers across the country, the system is failing to guarantee our lives and livelihoods, said Abida Chaudhry, secretary general of AWP Punjab. “The Covid-19 has temporarily exposed the truth of capitalism, we are witnessing daily wagers losing their livelihoods, healthcare workers demanding PPEs, and the unavailability of end care life support equipment across the world,” added Abida Chaudhry.

President AWP Punjab Ammar Rashid said that the crisis presents two distinct possibilities. Tooba Syed, secretary information, said that the doctors have been on hunger-strike due to lack of protective equipment. The lives of the frontlines must be protected.

Shazia Khan, secretary woman of AWP Punjab, said there is also an “invisible” pandemic going on which is the increasing violence against women in the country. She demanded the government ensure action against domestic violence during the quarantine, which has been reported to have risen”.

Arif Ayaz said that the left must unite to form workers fronts to take action against the layoffs of thousands of workers across the country and to secure laid leaves.” AWP has also released a basic needs charter which is focused on reorganising the economy to ensure the protection of life and fulfillment of basic human needs.

Labour Day meeting: To mark international Labour Day 2020, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Syeda Ghulam Fatima, general secretary Bonded Labour Liberation Front Pakistan, to discuss key issues and current situation of formal and informal sector workers in Covid-19 scenario.

Moreover, the meeting honoured and attended by Martha Parveen, president of Bonded Labor Liberation Front Pakistan, Syed Ayaz Hussain, advocate and coordinator, Naik Muhammad, advocate Lahore High Court, Muhammad Shahbaz, programme officer BLLF, Nusrat Bibi, president brick kiln workers union district Sheikhupura, Younas Maseeh, representatives of Pattoki.

The members of the meeting demanded the government take notice against violation of lockdown at brick-kiln and must take appropriate measures to ensure safety of workers from Covid-19; include brick-kiln workers in Ehsaas Programme for financial support to marginalised workers of brick-kiln sector launched by government in context of Covid-19. They also demanded the government ensure compliance of minimum wages notification at brick kiln issued by Punjab Gazette board in 2019, register kiln workers and informal sector workers in all welfare schemes launched by the government. In the context of Covid-19, the government should adopt tripartite approach and develop SOPs with the consultation of ILO and WHO for safety of workers at the workplace. The government should pay risk allowance to paramedical staff and sanitary workers as they are serving frontline defenders. Due to Covid-19, private sector workers are being fired and not paid and the government should take notice and ensure respect for their labour rights.