The scope of Employers' Federation of Pakistan (EFP) is being expanded and strengthened throughout Pakistan to protect the legitimate interests of the employers providing 2.5 million jobs to the unemployed youth across this country.
Addressing a function in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) here Saturday, Majid Aziz President EFP said that an EFP sub office or a desk will be established in FCCI to protect the interests of its members in addition to save them from unnecessary harassment of the concerned government departments.
He said this organization was established 68 years ago but it remained restricted to Karachi. "However now its two offices outside Karachi have become operational while its presence in all provinces will be ensured very soon," he said, adding "the members of EFP are providing employment to millions of workers. The numbers of employers registered with EFP were only 609 in near past but now their numbers have jumped to 700."
He said efforts had been expedited to further increase its memberships to 1,000 by the year 2019. He was appreciative of the keen interest taken in new membership of EFP and hoped that this target is expected to be achieved during the current calendar year.
He also mentioned tripartite conference convened in Sindh and said its provincial labor policy was developed on the basis of 62 point draft prepared by the EFP in consultation with the other stakeholders. "The labour policies for other provinces should also be fabricated in consultation with the employers of their respective provinces," he opined.
Regarding Employees Old age Benefits Institution (EOBI), Workers Welfare Fund and Social Security, he said generally government officials were dominant in their Boards of Directors/Management but upon recommendation 40:40 % representatives had been given to employers and employees while its Chairman is also selected annually alternatively form the employers and employees.
He said EFP is also affiliated with International Labour Organization (ILO) and "we are regularly arranging training programs for our employees. He told that under the training program-2018-2020, we will train 2 lac workers. Out of these 10% would be specifically trained for jobs in Middle East," he added. He said ILO has prepared 27 different training models for employees which would also be translated in regional languages in addition to its rendering in Urdu.
Continuing Majid Aziz said EFP has a 2,166 yards plot in Karachi and "we are planning to construct our own office on it." He said Mian Muhammad Adrees of Faisalabad has been nominated to head of this committee constituted to look after the construction related matters. "Hopefully physical work on this project will be started very soon," he added.
Earlier, Mian Muhammad Adrees in his opening remarks said majority of the employers were unaware of the benefits of EFP and hence an awareness campaign would be launched across the country. "It will help employers to get membership in order to harvest the benefits of EFP," he said, adding they could also be able to organize training program and seminars to improve the efficiency of their workers.
Presenting address of welcome Shabbir Hussain Chawla, President, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) said employers play a major role in the economic consolidation and job creation but their role in policy making is practically nil.