| Contract system restricting the growth of.. |
| Wednesday, 27 August 2008 | |
|
Referendums have been taking place in several institutions with the announcement that the ban on trade unions has been lifted by Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani. However, the leading trade union leaders feel that the contract system is still the main hurdle in the growth of trade unions in the industrial sector of the country. Workers who have been appointed on a contractual basis are insecure about their jobs. They are not allowed to take part in union activities in their respective organisations. This is the basic cause of the declining trade union activities throughout the country, said Abdul Ghafoor Baloch, President of Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF), the alliance of major worker unions, while talking to The News. The PWF has 88,000 members all over the country. “It is the government’s responsibility to direct the government, semi-government and private institutions to issue appointment letters to workers as soon as they are hired. In this regard, the management and trade unions should collaborate in order to strengthen the institutions,” Baloch added. He said the time has come to create harmony between the workers and factory management to reduce unemployment and run the institutions efficiently. Workers need a favourable working environment with basic facilities they have been promised by the labour law, he emphasised. He told The News that the PWF is making efforts to unite all the trade unions in a major alliance to initiate effective struggle to protect the rights of the workers. This platform will be able to begin negotiations with the government authorities, to design a formula to resolve the issues faced by workers within their respective organisations. Due to the scattered struggles by the unions, they are unable to force the managements to ensure the rights of their workers, he explained. Moreover, Baloch said the government should bring union leaders into confidence while starting the process of policy-making regarding export and import and formulating the labour laws. Because, he added, being workers they are fully aware of the problems of the institution they are employed in. Apart from this, he said, the civil society should understand the role of workers as at present in several institutions workers are being mistreated. “We are not terrorists and violators. We are law abiding citizens. We should be given our basic rights according to the law,” Baloch said. Shaikh Majeed of the Peoples Labour Bureau giving his reaction said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government is implementing the promises it made when it came into power. Pakistan Steel (PS) management granted its permission for holding a referendum after 11-year long gap as earlier it had taken stay orders to restrict workers of holding referendums there. The trade unions are trying to restore the Banking Ordinance Article 27B, so that the union activities can be restored in the banks. Muslim Commercial Bank and other bank managements are resisting against the restoration of trade unions. The banks managements justify that outsiders should not be allowed to participate in the union, however, according to the Labour Law an outsider can be the head of a union. Majeed said the trade union workers are hopeful to remove this hurdle after a one-month period. Similarly the referendum in Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is also expected after a long gap. The credit should go to the PPP-led government, he said. Furthermore, he said trade union activities in Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) are also in the process. There is no restriction now and the leaders are making efforts to hold a referendum there sooner or later. Shafique Ghouri, the President of National Trade Union Federation said the trade unions have more expectations from the PPP government because the PPP leadership has always acted favourably towards the trade unions. “In fact, the government on this juncture is facing an economic and political crisis but we are optimistic to see the restoration of union activities in the banks and other major organisations,” Ghouri said. The former Musharraf-led government had adopted restrictions and banned trade union activities through amendments in the law. But after his (President Musharraf) departure the trade union leaders are hopeful to get their rights restored, he added. The trade union leaders state that the Article 27-B was adopted during the Nawaz Sharif-led government. According to this article the bank employees can not take part in the union activities during the bank timings. Besides, the outsiders are not allowed to lead the employees of the union. This being the main hurdle — the trade unions are demanding the PPP-led government to take positive steps in this regard. Abolishing the contractual system in organisations, issuing appointment letters to workers, protecting their rights, involving workers representatives in the policy-making process are among the common demands of the trade union leaders across the country. |
Sell your treasures at our Sale section to get the best price in town. .gif){kind=small}
Try your luck on our online selection of games jo slow bandwidth per bhi chal jaingay!
Find the nearest shopping centres from mobile malls to huge super-markets..gif){kind=small}
List of famous Hotels, Restaurants and franchises.