Power loom workers meeting demanded to withdraw all cases against union leaders and stop the phenomenon to implicate under notorious Anti Terrorist Act.

The meeting was held in Etehad Town, Karachi and presided over by Rafiq Baloch, President National Trade Union Federation, Pakistan (NTUF). Six union leaders who were behind the bar for two months also attended the meeting and made commitment to fight till their last breath for the rights of the power loom worker.

The General Secretary of Power Loom Mazdoor, comrade Amin spoke about the condition of workers in power loom sector. He said there was no minimum wage for the workers any where in the sector, long working hours from 12 to 16 hours, no over time. It is legal right of workers to work for 8 hours and get minimum wage of 8000.

President of NTUF, Rafiq Baloch addressing the gathering said that more than 50000 power loom worker in Ehtehad town living in very vulnerable conditions, in factories they didn’t have drinking water facilities and not a single factory have proper toilet and bath facility. More than 1000 small and big factories had been operating illegally and management didn’t registered their factories with government and not a single factory paying contribution to Social Security Institute, EOBI and other workers welfare bodies.

He also said that there was no weekly off for the power loom worker in 21 century and when workers formed their union and demanded their just demands, capitalist with the full backing administration, police and paramilitary forces attacked the union activist and arrested six union leader tortured them and implicated 12 union leaders in false cases and trial them in Anti Terrorist Court.

He demanded that wages of the power loom worker should be increase in accordance with inflation rate, weekly off should be extended to the workers, condition at work place should be improved, provide drinking water, bath and toilet facilities, registration of worker with social security and workers welfare institute.

Other labour leaders condemned the government’s policy of terrorizing the workers through arresting and implicating the union and political activist under ATA to appease the capitalists.

Workers meeting also demanded to with draw the cases against comrade Baba and other political activist in Gilgit, release of six power loom workers of Faisalabad and withdraw cases against 12 power loom workers of Karachi.
Meeting was also addressed by Nasir Mansoor, Deputy Genreal Secretary NTUF, Comrade Sherbaz, Progressive Youth Front (PYF), Abdul Shakoor, President Power Loom General Workers Union.

The rangers (paramilitary force) was present near the meeting venue and at the end of meeting one of its head on duty called Mohammed Amin General Secretary of the union. And told him that their area Colonel had ordered to stop the meeting proceeding within two minutes, when we didn’t stop the meeting, they entered in the meeting venue and forcefully try to stop the proceeding. We were not in mood of confrontation so ended the meeting peacefully to avert any untodo happening. When one of our colleague Mr Mushtaq Ali shan tried to take the picture he was fiercely stopped.

After workers meeting an emergency meeting of office bearer were held in union office and decided to convene General body meeting in coming week to formulate action plan and charter of demands. It was also decided to organize a consultative meeting of different trade union bodies,political parties, human right groups and legal expert to discuss the workers case and evolve joint strategy.

Nasir Mansoor