Suggestions to change the definition of workers, industry and employer in Industrial Relation Act (IRA) 2010 and bring home based workers under social security networks were demanded in the consultation held by Labour Education Foundation (LEF) and Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF (Rgrd) on 31st March in Karachi. The consultation was attended by more than 60 representatives of trade unions, federation, confederation, lawyers, NGO’s and home based women workers from different area and cities of Pakistan. The program was presided over by Ms. Irfana Jabbar, General Secretary Home Based Women Bangle Workers Union (Rgrd), Hyderabad and conducted by Zehra Khan, General Secretary Home Based Women Workers Federation. Program was run along with open discussion on the issue. Proposed amendment also made in the consultation which was agreed by all the participants.
Industrial Relation Act 2008 is about to end in month of April 2010 government has also floated a proposed draft of IRA 2010 and has started of consultation process with stack holders especially with trade union representatives and the employers bodies for their suggestions to incorporate in new IRA which will be presented to the parliament for the legislation in month of April 2010. Unfortunately existing IRA 2008 and proposed IRA 2010 have not taken concrete steps in connection with the protection of informal sector workers especially the Home Based Women Workers’ rights in the draft.
The issue of millions of Home Based Women Workers (HBWW) is very crucial in context of covering them through existing labour laws. They are not being consider worker in law so as a result they are not cover up under any social security schemes including health, education, pension, old age benefits and other facilities provided to the formal sector workers covered under law. Even the HBWWs have no right to use labour courts for any dispute with her employer or contractor. These women use their home as factory and produce worth worthy product and shared their effective role in economy from which capitalist class taken benefits and cleverly protect them selves from the entire obligation which they have to provide the workers according to the laws.
Ms. Dilshad Sultana, General Secretary Al Hayat HBWW Union, Quetta (Rgrd) explained the condition of home based women workers in Balochistan in which she said initially only two workers have started the all process to organized the home based workers and now they exceeded up to more then four hundred. Their work with home based women workers is rapidly growing and they brought out the women from their home for their due and just rights. She also told that Balochi Piska (Balochi frock) sold at price of 20 thousand in market complete in 15 days, for that work investor and contractor gave them only 100 to 1500 rupees. She told the participants that they have been worked for the home based women workers in Balochistan since 2008 and in these years they formed and get registered two unions of home based women workers. She demanded for equal rights for home based women workers and registered with social security schemes.
Large numbers of home based women workers are exist in Pakhtoonkhwa mainly in Mardan. Fundamentalists are against of women work out side and she threatens them many times said by Ms. Rehana Shakeel, Labour Education Foundation, Mardan. Men consider women inferior that kind of attitude toward women should be eliminated. In that very crucial condition women are working and will work for their just rights. She demanded to open schools for girls, organize study circle for them and form collective union of home based women workers at federal level. While Ms. Saira Feroz from New Karachi explained in detail about the working condition of the labour in New Karachi which is the big hub of the informal work. She said they have 800 membership and they conducted study circle on different issues regularly. She urged for the joint struggle for home based women workers.
“Children are also engaged with home based work along with their mother and sister in bangle industry, which causes many chronicle diseases”, said Ms. Irfana Jabbar, General Secretary Home Based Women Bangle Workers Union from Hyderabad. She further said that male workers, who were in this sector since long, were also getting wages as daily wage earners. She urged to incorporate home based women workers in proposed IRA 2010.
Ms. Ume Laila, National Coordinator of Home Net Pakistan said that the informal sector contribution is an invisible work. Our whole focus should be on the ratification of ILO’s convention 177 and struggling to build the pressure group of home based women workers in the country, formulation of registration mechanism for home based women workers Union Council (UC) level and provides them all facilities earmark for formal workers in law. She said unionization of home based women workers and the access to the market are their core demands. She also said that government is also considering home based issues seriously because of our struggle. It is encouraging sign that Punjab and Balochistan assembly passed the resolution in support of HBWW rights and in Sindh Assembly it is in discussion.
Mr. Nasir Mansoor, National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) briefed on globalization and it effect on the working classes in detail. He also remembered and praised the work of our four staff members Ms. Najma Khanum, Ms. Rehana Kauser, Mr. Waheed Baloch and Comrade Abdul Salam, who were die in road accident due to the bad infrastructure in Balochistan, paid them rich tribute for organizing home based women workers. Capitalist taken benefits with globalization and increased the market economy. He also told that women contributes in economy is 4 billion US $ yearly but their living conditions are very bad. Women are being exploited in two ways, one as being women and fighting with the society’s so called values and other one as labour where she has been exploited by the capitalist. In addition he said that women workers has had started their struggle many years before the struggle of Chicago workers but on “Women International Day” every where the day just taken as only for social issues. While women workers started their struggle for fair wages, lessen working hours and for better living conditions. He declared the whole year for the campaign of home based women workers rights and ratification of Home Work Convention 177, as the next women international day will be the celebration of 100 years of women’s rights struggle.
Mr. Shafiq Ghauri, Legal Expert on labour laws said “5 million women work in informal sector in South East Asia and they were no where recorded and not clear for whom they work and who is the employee of these workers “. The first issue is to cover home based workers under legal status so their exploitation will be stopped. Declare informal sector as industry and bring contractor and marketing persons under employers’ definition. He further said that Pakistani constitution clearly provide social justice to its citizen and declare it is the state responsibility, if it is so then state should be obliged to fulfill her responsibility. Mr. Rahatullah Advocate, Legal affair Secretary National Trade Union Federation demanded the unionization rights to home based women workers. Through union they will solve their issues. Employer created home based worker to protect themselves form the obligation of laws. Appointment letters were not issued by the employer to the workers as to avoid come under the legal status.
Legal Expert Mr. M. A. K. Azmati, who formulate first draft of social protection bill for HBWW, said that in Europe polices and laws were remain same, whether the government changed but when those countries work in third world countries, they looting and exploiting the human resources. Further he said that new laws are very important but it’s also necessary to implement the laws which exist so people can get the benefits of it. Last government incorporated all labour related laws in to six, it should be better. Government hasn’t interest in the issues of people so it’s our work to make a draft and send it to federal government.
Home based issues is not a new phenomena, it has started 100 years ago in other countries as said by Worker Employer Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP) chairmen Mr. Ahsanullah. He further said that the condition of home based worker is very bad in Pakistan which needs attention. In coming day new taxes will impose on food items as well as on grave and on shroud. We should think on it and need to form a proper system and send people among us in the assembly. He said that WEBCOP will support the draft and the suggestion made by LEF and HBWWF.
Mr. Yusuf Baloch, Chairperson National Trade Union Federation said that basic rights are the democratic rights, if that not exist it means it is a continuation of dictatorship. Here feudal system exist, which is the alternative of kingdom ship in which women are exploited and that should be changed. He urged for collective struggle for the rights of home based women workers.
Mr. Yunis Rahu, President Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union supported the proposed suggestion in IRA and said that the role of middle men (contractor) between employer and employee should be minimized. The same situation faced by the Brick kiln workers which home based workers faced. Laws exist but labour department have no interest to implement it. He also criticized on state role that if it not implementing on the labour laws then it a big question mark on it.
In the end of the program four important proposed amendment including the change in definition of Industry, Employer, Worker and covering of HBWW under social Security schemes were presented and shared with the participants which were unanimously approved (The proposed changing draft is attached here with). Other important participants who shared and contributed their views and valuable suggestion are including Mr. Ejaz Malik (Shirkat Gha), Mr. Ellahi Bux (SPO Karachi), Mr. Abdul Hai( HRCP), Mr. Jalil Shah (Pakistan Workers Confederation), Mr. Fareed Awan (All Pakistan Trade Union Federation), Mr. Jaffar Khan (Mutahda Labour Federation), Mr. Saeed Hameed Ahmed and Mr. Mohammad Ahmed (Pakistan Workers Federation), Ms. Mehnaz Rahman (Aurat Foundation), Mr. Rafiq Baloch (National Trade Union Federation), Mr. Ghani Zaman (Karachi Shipyard Labour Union), Mr. Manzoor Razi (Pakistan Railway Workers Federation), Mr. Dildar Ahmed (SITE Workers Action Committee) and Mr. Riaz Ahmed (AGS Battery Employees union).
Zehra Khan