Following a two day national level meeting in Islamabad involving five trade union federations affiliated with International Textile Garments Leather Workers Federation have outlined a serious of key union demands for the implementation of a living wage.

The meeting was attended by the leadership of the Pakistan Textile Garments Leather Workers Federation (PTGLWF), Pakistan National Textile Leather Garments and General Workers Federation (PNTLGGWF), Itehad Labour Union Carpet Industry Pakistan (ILUCP), Pakistan Textile Workers Federation (PTWF) and National Trade Union Federation (NTUF).

In the meeting the situation confronting the workers was the subject of detailed discussion and highlighted serious concerns on the high rate of inflation, low minimum wages, centuries old labour laws and poor enforcement of labour laws in Pakistan as well as the denial of social security and pension facilities to the majority of workers.

The meeting resolved to struggle against all these odds and demand from the government

1) To end minimum wage system which failed to fulfil the basic needs of the worker and introduce the “Living Wage System” and it stand at PKR 25,000 for every worker to maintain his or her better family life.

2) To formulates labour law in accordance with the requirements of the workers and observe them strictly.

3) To end the ban on factory labour inspection.

4) The Punjab government has put restrictions on union formation in factories where the number of workers is less than 50 which is against the articles of constitution and ILO conventions, it is demanded to end this restriction immediately.

5) To end contract system and daily wage system from financial, commercial and industrial sectors.

6) To end all kind of restriction in the way of union formation and make it compulsory for every establishment to have union and restrain the employers from putting hurdles in the way of unionization.

7) There should be a mechanism for labour courts to decide the cases of industrial dispute with in period of three months.

We demand that the government accept the workers’ demands for the sake of industrial peace and harmony, otherwise we don’t see any other way than except to take the streets to achieve these demands.

The press conference was addressed by (From right to left) Mrs Farida Zaheer, Haji Jabbar, Niaz Khan, Aslam Wafa, and Nasir Mansoor.