Labour Unions and federations including All Pakistan Jute & Textile Mills workers Union, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), Pak Telecom Employees Union (CBA), Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Labour Union.
Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) and MDA Employee Union, Mehnatkash Union have urged upon government to revise their pay scales keeping in view the ratio of inflation, price hike, and utility tariff.
Addressing a meeting here chaired by Saif-uddin Qureshi, Regional Secretary of Pak-Telecom Union (CBA), Malik Ghulam Abbas Langarial (APJTMWU) Khawar Ali (ZTBL), Khurshid Ahmed Khan, Taj Muhammad Sauz, Comrade Muhammad Iqbal, Comrade Yameen, Mirza Riaz Ghalib of People's Labour Bureau, Shah Wali Rajput of MDA Union asked the government to take immediate steps to control the price hike.
They were of the view that inflation rate was soaring day by day while the labourers and the poor were not in a position to tackle the situation. They said that wages of labourers were as compared to the inflation rate so the government must increase their salaries and give them the job protection.
They asked the government to increase pay of labourers and their allowances as well as pay scales must be increased. They said the labourers were serving the nation and assured that they would offer sacrifices for the country. Lauding the unity of labour unions, the leaders of the unions said it was appreciable that all the labourers were united under one umbrella. They urged the labourers to maintain this unity in future also and serve the country with same passion and courage. They said that privatisation process must be stopped immediately while employees, who have been sacked, their services should be restored. They also demanded 100 percent increase in wages of the employees.
They said almost all the edible items prices had been increased while the salaries of the employees were not sufficient to meet their demands. They asked the government as well as rulers to take pity on them. Participants chanted slogans Afsraan ki shah kharchian khatam karo, GPF fund ki najaaiz katoti band ki jaye, Mulaazmeen ke bachoon ko tarjihi bunyadoon per bharti karo, Zarai Taraqiati Bank se jabri barturf honay wale khandanoon, mazoor bewaioon, yatimoon, aurtoon aur mulaazmeen ke haal per reham karo, Sadarti ordinance ZTBL LX of 2000 ki khilaafwarzi karnay waloon ko kaifar-e-kirdar tak pohnchaya jaye and mehangai ko control karo etc.