KARACHI: A national level textile industrial/sectorial union is being formed at a meeting of textile unions from across the country held at PILER Centre on Septemebr 10, 2018.
The unions formed a Coordination Committee led by Karamat Ali of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) with representation from all four provinces.
This was announced at a press conference addressed by Karamat Ali, Niaz Khan, Zulfiqar Ali, Bashir Shakir, Khalid Mehmood, Aslam Meraj, Rehana Hakeem, Zehra Khan, Bashir Shakir, Sultan Khan and others.
The Coordination Committee also included Bashir Shakir, Aslam Meraj, Niaz Khan from Punjab; Rehana Yasmeen, Zehra Khan, Nasir Mansoor from Sindh; Khan Zaman, Sultan Khan, Haji Abdul Hakeem, Rukhsana Khalid from Balochistan; Taj Mena, Sherzada, Saadat Shah, Abrarullah from KP.
Karamat Ali said that the Coordination Committee would formalize its structure, decide name and make its constitution within one month. The committee has been entrusted to prepare a Charter of Demand in consultation with all stakeholders including trade unions, representatives of employers and government.
The committee would also publish a director of unions and their membership in each sector and also work similar national or sectoral level unions in other sectors as well.
The meeting discussed various issues being faced by the textile sector and the following demands came out:
- The right to form unions and collective bargaining of all workers should be accepted without any condition;
- Minimum wages be converted into living wages and be implemented.
- Contract system, child labor and bonded labour be abolished.
- All workers should be registered with labour welfare institutions like Employees Oldage Benefit Institution (EOBI), Social Security Institutions and Workers Welfare Fund.
- All laws referring to occupational health and safety be implemented.
- The law regarding sexual harassment at work place be implemented in all establishments.
- The laws to work for 8 hours and over time be implemented.
- All those laws, which are contrary to International Labour Organisation (ILO) should be changed and the existing labour laws be made in compliance with ILO Conventions.
- All 27 international Conventions and Covenants under the GSP Plus scheme should be implemented.
- All those workers who have been removed from services on charges of formation of unions be restored to their jobs.
- Courts should decide labour cases within two months.
The following unions, federations and labour supporting organizations attended the meeting:
- All Pakistan Workers Federation, 2. Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), 3. HomeNet Pakistan, Lahore, 4. Balochistan Labour Federation, 5. Mehnat Kash Labour Federation, KP, 6. All Pakistan Labour Federation, 7. Labour Education Foundation, Lahore, 8. Labour Quomi Movement 9. Textile Garment Power Looms Workers Union, 10. National Trade Union Federation, 11. All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions, 12. Pakistan Textile Workers Federation, 13. National Organisation for Working Communities, Karachi, 14. Ittefaq Mazdoor Union, Crescent Bahaman, Pindi Bhatiyan, 15. Almansoor Power Looms Workers Union Kasur, 16. Home-based Workers Federation, Karachi.
