The rational miser

The National Trade Union Federation has demanded that the government implement the minimum wage of Rs 7,000 and give a 17 percent raise as per the new labour policy unveiled by Prime Minister Gilani this year. This policy, announced on May Day, had a lot of positive aspects like free medical treatment and legal support for workers. But as with all good laws in Pakistan, the real test is implementation. Over 250 workers gathered in Lahore the other day to protest the lack of implementation by both the public and private sectors. It is highly unfortunate that the government has not been able to fix this problem even three months after the policy was announced. Unfortunately, the government has had to face some man-made and natural disasters after the policy was announced and could be forgiven for the lapse in the public sector given the precarious economic situation, but there is no explanation for why the private sector continues to resist implementation. In plain words, the private sector is showing its true capitalist colours and acting like a “rational miser”.

Another important issue that was raised in the labour rally was that of the ban on labour inspection of factories in Punjab. This system was banned by the Pervaiz Elahi government under the Punjab Industrial Policy 2003. It is true that labour inspectors used to harass businessmen and industrialists in order to mint money, but putting a blanket ban on labour inspections is akin to throwing the baby out with the bath water. There is an inherently unequal relationship between management and labour. Labour inspections are therefore a pro-worker measure to ensure that the workers are receiving their due rights. The Punjab government must lift this ban and tackle the corruption issue to make the inspections efficacious. Managements would then not have any excuse to complain about the labour inspectors while the workers too would receive protection for their rights.

Inflation has increased manifold in recent years, the burden falling disproportionately on the poor. It would thus be a great disservice to the working class if the labour policy is not implemented in letter and spirit and the lacunae in it addressed. Not to adopt modern industrial relations risks agitation and disruption of industrial peace and productivity.

(my editorial in Daily Times)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Persecution without reason

Universities all over the world tend to hire people with a sound academic background as they want the best for their students. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan did the same when they hired Dr Ghazala Anwar as Deputy Dean of Usul-ud-Din (Islamic jurisprudence) at the women’s campus of International Islamic University (IIU) in Islamabad. Dr Ghazala earned her PhD in philosophy and religious studies from the Temple University (USA) in 1993, with teaching and research interests in Islamic jurisprudence, gender issues, Sufism and sexuality. She was appointed at the IIU under the Foreign Faculty Hiring Programme after her application was reviewed by a Peer Review Committee of scholars. Dr Ghazala Anwar has been part of a movement that has been trying to fight for the just treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) Muslims. The movement does not preach to others to become homosexuals, but asks Muslims to be tolerant of these “sexual m
Read more

Protesters demand Imran Khan resign

Islamist party leader Maulana Rehman leads thousands to capital, gives PM two-day ultimatum Tens of thousands of protesters, led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, took out a march in Islamabad on Friday, demanding the resignation of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. “You have two days, we cannot show more patience,” Mr. Rehman warned the Premier. If Mr. Khan doesn’t resign in two days, “he will not be able to stop people from entering the Prime Minister’s House”, he said. “Nawaz Sharif had heard this, so had Asif Zardari. Now, they [establishment] should also hear what we are saying,” said Mr. Rehman in a pointed message to the establishment. ‘Stay here’ “Only the people of Pakistan have the right to rule over Pakistan; no institution has the right to impose itself over us,” said Mr. Rehman. “Stay here my friends, do not move... they have to resign in two days, you the people will decide what your decision is. It was your vote that was snatched from yo
Read more

We will shut down entire Pakistan, says Maulana

Maulana Fazlur Rehman says the protests will continue and that Imran Khan’s government should go. As the two-day ultimatum he issued to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan expired on Sunday night, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the protesters will continue the sit-in until their goals are met. “We have decided that we will not go to any tribunal or Election Commission or any court. The PTI’s (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) foreign funding case is still lying around with the Election Commission after five years. This ‘illegitimate’ ruler’s foreign funding case has not been decided, how will this Election Commission settle rigging cases?,” he said while addressing ‘Azadi March’ in the capital on Sunday. “This is a movement. After this march, we will not stop our journey… Today, we have shut down Islamabad. Tomorrow we will shut down the entire country. Today, we have a huge rally here; tomorrow we will make the entire Pakistan a rally-ground,” he said.
Read more