More than 2000 male and female labourers on Sunday observed the International Labour Day on May 1 in Multan, to pay homage to the Chicago martyrs, who laid down their lives during the historic struggle of workers in Chicago in 1886, for an eight-hour working day.
Workers carrying red-flags, placards and banners inscribed with demands. Trade Union leaders including Fareeda Zaheer, Kaswar Razi, Dilawar Abbas, Sibtain Naqvi, Ashfaq Ahmed Khan, Comrade Yamin, and others demanded for ending bonded labour, child labour, contract system, 10 to 12 hours duty and said that government should increase the wages of industrial workers to Rs 15,000 per month. Trial of industrialists who were openly and fearlessly violating the labour laws.
They also demanded for introduction of National Labour Policy. More than two dozen rallies were organised by the trade unions including Union of Journalists, Bonded labourers of Brick-Kiln while a number of seminars were also held to commemorate the historic struggle of workers throughout the world against capitalism, exploitation, safe working conditions and respect for the dignity of workers.
They said that it is also a day of special significance for the labour movement, and a day of world-wide solidarity, a time to remember past struggles and demonstrate hope for a better future and a day of united actions and struggles of the working people for pressing their demands. It is a day for all workers around the world to collectively raise their voice and oppose the capitalist system and demand for equal shares and rights.
The All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Working Women Organisation said, together we shall restore humanity and the Labour Day is a day to analyse the struggle of workers and trade unions for emancipation and what they gain and what they loose, as well as to think over how to move forward against imperialist and capitalist oppression.
The organisation said that we are celebrating the International Labour Day this year, at a time when we as a nation are facing sky-rocketing inflation, gas and electricity load shedding, has shut down more than 6,000 industrial units and 550,000 people have lost their jobs, the poor masses are bearing the menace of high inflation, unemployment is on the rise, a deteriorating law and order situation and the rapidly growing unemployment was compelling people to commit suicide. We are concerned about the killing of innocent people by the security forces, the abolishment of the National Industrial Relation Commission (NIRC) and the responsibility given to the provincial government to make labour legislation. The organisation conveyed its warm greetings of international solidarity to workers, trade unions, lawyers, journalists, professional and human rights organisations of the world and wished you all the best in your struggle to secure the basic rights and demands of workers for a better life, peace and justice for all mankind.
To pay tribute to the Chicago martyrs who sacrificed their lives for workers rights and to extend solidarity with the worker movement around the world, the organisation and its members, including women and children held rallies all over Southern Punjab.