Labour movement in Paksitan is poised for new achievements as its campaign against the ‘black law’ Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO), reunification of trade union federations and a South Asian mechanism for labour solidarity appears to be bearing results. In the past few months, labour organisations and labour support groups have convened a tripartite labour conference and a national labour conference to bring a new generation of labour leaders under one roof. A joint declaration urged the government to completely restorate the right of forming unions, revision of national minimum wages and respect for international labour standards.

Three different opposition-sponsored Bills are also pending before the National Assembly seeking amendments in the Constitutional provisions related to labour. The first Bill demands an amendment in Article 27-B prohibiting bank employees to form unions. The second seeks an amendment in Article 2-A of IRO that embargos employees of certain government and attached departments and in informal and private sectors. The third is for universal social security. The bills will come up for debate in the next session of Parliament.

To pacify the labour, the government had wide-ranging consultations with trade unions in the backdrop of a huge campaign of workers against privati-sation of the Water and Power Authority, its electric supply companies and the Karachi Electric Supply Company. The government plans to get rid of these state-owned organisations by mid-next year, while the workers fear large-scale displacement, retrenchment and restructuring.

SAARC Social Charter

The South Asian Consultation on the SAARC Social Charter concluded on 25 December 2004 in Karachi. Delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka took active part and made intensive analysis of the Charter, SAARC Action Planand National Action Plans for implementation on the Social Charter. A joint declaration at the end of the conference urged public support to peace and tolerance in South Asia, mass people-to-people contacts, unrestricted travel by ordinary people, visa upon arrival; subsidised travel in the SAARC region and state encouragement to exchanges of students, teachers and the media. It demanded the prompt and full implementation of all UN Conventions, in particular the ILO Conventions on core labour rights contained in the Declaration of Principles, and of the UN Convention on Civil, Economic and Social Rights. Affirming universal rights to work and rights at work, it also demanded national legislation and implementation of universally guaranteed employment, uniform living wages across the region, and shelter.

Among the other demands were free movement of workers across the region, common minimum wages across the region, legalisation of the informal sector, non-harassment and non-arrests of fishermen caught while fishing in sea, end to bonded labour across the region and security and regional safeguards for small scale farmers and rural workers in the face of vulnerabilities arising out of the World Trade Organisation regime.

The joint declaration also urged a Common Civil Rights Charter for South Asia, equality for women in civil and property laws across the region, implementation of all UN Conventions, implementation of core labour laws, gender laws and children rights, right to social security and livelihood, political cultural, social rights, human rights and demilitarisation and denuclearisation of the South Asian region and resolution of all conflicts through peaceful means.