More than 0.1 million powerloom units remained closed on sixth consecutive day Sunday in more than 12 industrial areas including Sidhar, Thikreewala, Faizabad, Ghulam Muhammadabad and Qadirabad, here Friday. Workers observed complete strike and staged protest peacefully for increasing salaries according to the agreements and decisions of Punjab government.
Addressing a media conference at Faisalabad Press Club, Chairman, Labour Qaumi Movement, Abdul Qayyum announced that the protestation would continue till acceptance of demands that include withdrawal of cases against more than 3,000 industrial workers. He announced that the family members of power-loom industry would take out protest procession against the 'conspiracies' of power-loom owners Monday (today) from various localities of the industrial city. Main protest demonstration will be staged outside city district government offices.
Abdul Qayyum said after negotiations, district administration submitted proposals to Punjab chief minister for increasing of the salaries according to the recommendations of Punjab Minimum Wage Board. However, power-loom unit owners are not accepting and honouring the agreements and adopting delaying tactics, he added. He demanded that arrested four sub sector presidents of the movement, detained in police station Thikreewala on physical remand for burning and ransacking Fazal Weaving Factory at Sidhar, should immediately be released from police custody.
Replying to queries, he said factory owners had agreed to increase wages of workers by 17 percent, but they later betrayed this commitment.
Abdul Qayyum further said power-loom unit owners thrice signed agreements with the local labour leaders in the presence of representatives of labour department and city government but did not honour their commitment.
Consequently, workers are constrained to continue their strike till acceptance of their just demands in Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh and Jhang. During recent disturbances in the power-loom sector of Faisalabad, over 3,000 factory workers demanding 17 percent increase in their wages, were booked under various counts of PPC.