Pakistan Workers Foundation (PWF) has demanded of the government to bring comprehensive amendments to the "Industrial Relations Act, 2008" for giving maximum protection to the workers in Pakistan. This was demanded in a press conference at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) here on Thursday.
The press conference, chaired by PWF General Secretary Khurshid Ahmed, was also addressed by Deputy General Secretary M Zahoor Khan along with Mian Rehman Ghani, Chuadhry Muhammad Yasin, Muhammad Akram Bunda and Sajjad Hussain Sajid. They were of the view that many provisions of the new "Industrial Relations Act, 2008" needed immediate amendments in line with the best international practices.
The representative bodies of workers further demanded restoration of "labour Inspection Machinery" provision and also "Industrial Relations Act, 2008" should be brought in conformity with the fundamental rights enshrined in ILO Convention No 87 and 98, adoption of national economic self-reliance, to bring national capitalists and their foreign investments back to the country, and to move over in the national pay scale to rise the wages of the workers.
They demanded restoration of "labour Inspection Machinery" to enforce the various provisions of labour laws in the provinces, which had been defined by the previous provincial governments through their industrial policies in violation of the Fundamental Rights and ILO Convention No 81, ratified by the government of Pakistan.
They demanded protection of health and life of the workers, enforcement of lawful minimum wage, observance of working hours and payment of overtime, provision of social security and old-age benefits to the workers, enforcement of seventh Working Journalist Wage Board Award, Pakistan (Industrial and Commercial) Employment Ordinance and other labour laws.
"We also strongly demand of the government of Pakistan to incorporate appropriate amendment as suggested by the workers organisation since it allows entering into settlement by employer with individual worker over and above the collective bargaining rights of the representatives' trade union since single worker cannot protect his rights.
"The amendments in the "Industrial Relations Act, 2008" is needed as it excludes large number of workers employed in many sectors of the industry and agriculture from the right of freedom of association, it also delete the principle of independence of labour judiciary by appointment of NIRC Chairman and members by the executive.
"It does not repeal section 27/B Banking Companies Ordinance, which curbed the fundamental rights of bank workers. It contains other contradictory provision. "Unemployment is growing day-by-day due to load shedding of electricity and gas in the country as well as financial crisis.
Therefore, the government should take special measure to prevent unemployment by helping the national industries and agriculture by adoption of the "National Economic Self Reliance" and attaching high priority to human capital development and enforcing austerity in all walks of life in order to provide gainful employment of 1.5 million young labour forces every year.
"The federation should demand of the national capitalists to bring back their foreign assets for investment in Pakistan. "We also demand raise in the wages of the workers commensurate with the price hike and restore selection grade and move over in the national pay scale."
They further demanded that the Prime Minister should not be the competent authority for the appointment of chairman and members of National Industrial Relation Commission and judges of the labour court. Previously, the chief justice of Supreme Court has the authority to appoint the members of NIRC. The new decision might result in political appointments, they opined.
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