The Labour and Manpower Division of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower is engaged in wide ranging activities that affect welfare of Pakistani people working both in the local and international market.
The main focus of the activities is to increase the workers' quality of life by means of improvements in employment conditions, provision of employment security, creation of training facilities, protection of rights of workers, prevention of industrial accidents, strengthening of industrial relations, laws and systems, expansion of the social security net and exploration of local and overseas markets for generation of employment opportunities.
This becomes important with increasing flexibility of the labour market. These measures not only enhance the welfare but also boost the morale and satisfaction level of the workforce. It is well documented that a satisfied workforce equipped with latest skills is critically important for the development of national economy.
The initiatives of the L & M Division can be classified into three broad areas namely:
Labour Welfare: The labour welfare promotes the dignity of labour and uplifts socio-economic status of working population. It can be ensured through the decent work conditions.
The Division is using following strategies to achieve the objective of labour welfare: Legislative changes to provide easy access to speedy justice in the labour sector and support to bilateral and tripartite mechanism for peaceful resolution of disputes. Codification, consolidation and simplifications of labour laws. Promotion of social security and improvement in labour welfare measures and its progressive extension to informal sector.
Emphasis on welfare of workers - residential accommodation, hospital services, workers' children education including technical and vocational training and other grants. Combating child and bonded labour. Elimination of gender discrimination to reinforce gender discrimination to reinforce gender equality.
Human Resource Development (HRD): The objective of HRD is to improve: the prospects of employment for Pakistani people both within country and abroad. The objective can be achieved through the provision of market oriented skills to the current and prospective workers. The strategies used for HRD include. Development of dedicated Labour Market Information System to create a dependable data bank of presently available labour force; and visualise the future requirements.
Enhancement of Quality vocational training capacity in the country through training of instructors. Awareness raising of human rights practices and HIV / AIDS hazards amongst the industrial workers through labour / peasant councillors. Arranging visits of renowned Pakistani expatriate educationists to share their expertise/knowledge with universities/ technical organisations.
Employment Promotion: The objective of employment promotion is to reduced unemployment and poverty from the country and provide decent living to the people. The strategy adopted for this purpose is to expand employment opportunities in the domestic markets and aggressively explore markets of the labour importing countries.
The steps taken in this direction are: Formation of National Employment Policy and development of employment programs for taping the potential of domestic markets. National Migration Policy for the promotion of employment of Pakistani labour in the international market. Formation of Manpower Export Promotion Committees in all labour importing countries. Exploration of new markets for employment of Pakistani workforce. Measures to reduce the cost of overseas employment. Preparation of Data Bank of workforce intended for employment abroad. Sharing this information with potential foreign employers.
Workers Welfare Fund: The WWF is actively involved in the welfare of the industrial workers. 118,381 marriage grants, 8,389 death grants and 54,231 number of post-matric educational scholarships have been given.
At the same time 59573 Houses, flats and Plots have been developed for the welfare of workers. 116 schools are established for the children of labourers, in which 73242 students are getting free education. Apart from this, 2 technical institutes, 24 industrial homes & community centers have also been established. Workers Welfare Fund has complete road map for the welfare of labourers according to which 86257 flats, 33 schools and 23 Hospitals, 6 trauma centers and Burn Units will be constructed and 36 Secondary Schools will be upgraded in future, which will help in fulfilling the needs of workers.
Benefits from Workers Welfare Fund: Marriage Grant to all industrial workers at the eve of marriage of their daughters and in case of female workers, for their own marriage @ Rs 70,000 is being granted (earlier it was for maximum two daughters, now it is being awarded to all). In case of death, Grant of Rs 300,000 is given to the family. Educational scholarships to the children of the workers is given from Rs 1000 to Rs 3500 per month. In addition, expenses of a child of any worker is given, if he/she gets admission on merit in any Public/Private University or a medical /engineering college/ University. In the year 2007-08, Rs 6,618 million have been utilised by the provincial Workers Welfare Boards. During 2008 09funds to the tune of Rs 10,829 million have been allocated. 80,000 houses / flats, 33 schools and 23 hospitals / dispensaries have been planned, which will be completed during next five years.
National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC): 1357 industrial disputes were resolved during the year.
Implementation Tribunal of Newspaper Employees (ITNE): 522 wage award disputes were resolved during the year.
Human Resource Development: A three-year project on Training for Rural Economic Empowerment has been successfully completed. Training was provide to 2400 women and youth and 100 master trainers in different employable skills. A three-year project for Women Empowerment and Employment Concerns has been launched with ILO funding.
MOD in the field of Technical and Vocational Training has been signed with China. Present training capacity in the field of technical and vocational training being enhanced through organising evening classes in the available facilities. The project has been finalised with provincial Governments for approval of CDWP. Vocational training camp has been establishment in earthquake areas ie Balakot and Muzaffarabad for training in construction trade.
Gender Sensitisation of Industrial Workers: Sensitization of 7710 workers has been completed. Training Prgramme for Labour/Peasant Councillors for their Capacity Building: Capacity Building of 5752 Labour/ Peasant Councillors have been made.
Awareness Raising amongst Workers regarding Hazard of HIV/AIDS: 7919 Work/Employers have been sensitised/educated regarding hazard to HIV/AIDS.
Achievements: The labour and manpower division has been successful in achieving a number of objectives.
The major achievements (through legislation) include: Workmen's Compensation: There is no limit for any worker for entitlement to compensation.
Contract Worker: The Contract Workers drawing wages on piece rate basis are included in the classification workmen under the standing orders. This has entitled them to all benefits under that law.
Minimum Wage: The minimum wage for unskilled worker was Rs 4600/- which has been increased to Rs 6000/- Unskilled worker was Rs 46/- which has been increased to Rs 6000/-
Minimum Pension: The minimum old-age pension, under the Employees' Old-Age Benefits Act, 1976, has been increased from Rs 1500/- to Rs 2000/- Share from Companies' Profit: All industrial workers are now entitled to the companies' profit share ie equivalent to four (04) times of the Minimum Wage Limit. This share is also being raised from Rs 18,400 to Rs 24,000.
Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution: Envisioned by Shaheeed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the first elected Prime Minister, EOB Scheme was enacted in 1976 to ameliorate the plight of employees of industrial, commercial and other organisations. Under the EOB Scheme registered workers are provided old-age pension, survivors pension, invalidity pension and old-age grant.
Since 1976, EOBI has registered 59,889 employers (establishments / industries) and 3.2 million employees. EOBI is providing benefits to 332,090 pensioners. EOBI has collected Rs 40.68 billion as contribution and paid Rs 26.36 billion pension and old-age grant since inception of the scheme. The total investment of the institution stood at Rs 155.65 billion.
The present people's Government has increased the minimum pension from Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 per month and increased 15% in all other pensions. It has further enlarged the scope of EOB scheme and has extended it to organisations employing 5 or more employees. Similarly banks, banking companies sand carpet industry have also been got into ambit of the scheme.
Elimination of Child Labour: Since 1994 more than 6 large projects, 48 core action programmes and 60 mini programmes have been undertaken / launched and are in progress to achieve the overall goal of eliminating child labour, especially its worst forms. These projects have so far directly benefited about 100,000 children. The list of hazardous occupations was identified for children and notification of 38 such occupations / processes has been issued.
Bonded Labour: The ILO's International programme of Assistance of Bonded Labour was launched in Pakistan in mid 2002. Under the Programme research studies in 11 sectors have been carried out. Besides, a series of activities was arranged for orientation on bonded labour Concerns which were conveyed to the District Government, judicial and law enforcement officials. In pursuance of the National Policy and Plan of Action for Abolition of Bonded Labour, a Fund has been established and for the released families from bonded labour residential colony has been constructed in Dadu.