NTUF demands immediate end of growing exploitation of workers

The National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) staged a sit-in at Bilal Chowrangi in front of a factory in Korangi Industrial Area Wednesday held against growing exploitation of workers and violation of labour laws.

A large number of workers carrying banners and placards attended the protest and raised slogans for their demands. Speakers, including NTUF leaders Nasir Mansoor and Comrade Gul Rehman, and Home-based Women Workers Federation leader Zehra Khan, said industrialists were engaged in brutal economic exploitation of workers.

“As per labour laws, it is mandatory to give written appointment letters to workers, but more than 95 per cent of workers are deprived of this legal right,” said Mansoor. “Without appointment letters, these workers cannot avail their legal and constitutional rights and privileges.”

He said making labour unions had been made a crime in factories and workplaces. “Less than one per cent of workers enjoy the right of making their unions. In even major industrial organisations. unskilled workers are not being given the announced minimum wage of Rs17,500,” the NTUF leader said. “More than 95 per cent of workers are not registered with social security and pension institutions.”

He said that as per labour laws, permanent employment is necessary for a permanent post, but in violation of local and international labor laws, factories and workplaces are being run on an illegal contract labour system, which has already been termed illegal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan

The protesters demanded that written appointment letters should be issued to workers, especially the workers of textile and garment factories. They also demanded that the workers should be registered with social security and EOBI institutions and given cards of these institutions, the illegal contract labour system should be ended, factories running on a contract labour system basis should be tried for contempt of the apex court, and women workers should not be forced to stop at workplaces during night hours.