to organise

Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign
Autumn
2014
Bulletin
Sponsored by the Punjab Labour Federation, the Progressive Workers Alliance, the National Railway
Workers Union, the United Labour Federation, National Union of Postal Employees, and many others
Pakistan Trade Union
Defense Campaign
Campaign Aims
1 Defence of trade
unionists from the
physical attacks of the
employers and the
state.
2 To defend the workers
right to organise
in unions
3 Stop the privatisation
and economic
plunder of state
industries.
4 For a minimum living
wage or
unemployment
allowance
for all.
5 For complete abolition
of child labour.
6 The abolition of
anti-trade union laws.
7 The abolition of
fundamentalist
laws
against women and an
end to gender
exploitation.
8 Struggle for Women
right to organise
in all workplaces.
United Kingdom Campaign
Representatives:
Javed Iqbal (Birmingham)
Arsalan Ghani (Cambridge)
Office:
65 Gristhorpe Road,
Selly Oak,
Birmingham B29 7TD
Ph: +44 (0) 797 105 7346
Email: [email protected]
Assassination attempt on Riaz Hussain
Lund Baloch Chairman PTUDC Karachi
Solidarity Required!
Riaz Hussain Lund Baloch, Chairman of
Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign
(PTUDC), well-known political and grass
root political activist and trade unionist in
Karachi, has been shot in cold blood by
rightwing assassins. In a cowardly and
brutal assault, he was hit five times, thrice
in the stomach and twice in the chest.
Despite the seriousness of his injuries, Riaz
Hussain Lund Baloch has survived, and
according to his doctors he is out of
immediate danger. This is not the first time
he has been the target of right wing facists
or religious obscurantist's assassins. A few
years ago he was shot and wounded by
gunmen from the fascist MQM in Karachi.
Riaz Lund a former steel worker is an
Model Resolution for
Trade Unions (TU) Branches
“The Pakistan Trade Union Defence
Campaign (PTUDC) was formed in the wake
of the assassination of trade union leader Arif
Shah in 1995. The PTUDC has waged many
campaigns against cuts, privatisation and the
exploitation of women and children. It seeks
to unite workers, regardless of their sex,
religion, ethnic origin or nationality, in a
common struggle against capitalism.
Recently, Riaz Lund, Central Chairman
PTUDC, was shot by assassins. This will not
go unanswered. It highlights the need for the
British labour movement to strengthen links
with the Pakistan trade unions. We offer our
full support to those fighting against
repression and for workers' rights in
Pakistan. We therefore agree to affiliate to
the PTUDC and send solidarity to Brother
Lund, wishing him a speedy recovery. ”
exemplary trade unionist fighter for the
cause of the Pakistani working class. He is
a leading figure in the Pakistan Trade Union
...continued on page 2
Demonstration against Riaz Baloch’s
Assasination Attempt
Page 2
Riaz assassination attempt... continued from page 1
Defence campaign (PTUDC) and is
a well-known figure in the Karachi
labour movement. Pakistan Trade
Union Defense Campaign (PTUDC)
is an international solidarity
campaign which was set up in 1995
in response to bloody murder of a
militant trade union leader Arif
Shah, by his employer and the state
in Lahore, Punjab Pakistan.
International media's focus on
Pakistan over the last two decade
has been from the perspective of
insecurity, turmoil, terrorist activity
including militant attacks and the
onslaught of American drones but
there is another Pakistan with super
workplace exploitation, zero
contract employment (especially of
women), including harsh working
condition, brutal child labor, hardly
any health and safety at
workplaces, etc. Government is
doing almost nothing to address the
concerns of workers – instead they
are busy in handouts to large
businesses in the form of tax-cuts,
privatisation, subsidies and bailouts.
Workers are left on the whim of
capitalists who oppress them to the
worse.
Riaz Lund is in the forefront of the
fight for the rights of workers in
Pakistan. PTUDC under his
stewardship has successfully
organised and intervened in the
struggle of Pakistan Steel Mill
workers, dockers,
doctors, nurses, railway
workers, teachers and
water & power workers.
In addition to these
activities PTUDC under
Riaz Lund's leadership
has taken the lead in
getting workers across
industries together for a
campaign against
Privatisation.
The PTUDC initiated
international broadbased campaign, to
build international solidarity between
the Pakistani workers and the trade
union movement worldwide. The
PTUDC organises public events,
provides speakers to trade union
branches and national conferences to
highlight conditions for the trade
unions in Pakistan and promotes
international solidarity between
Pakistani workers and activists
around the world.
Riaz Lund survived this attack, and
we hope that he will live to fight
against all form of oppressions faced
by the working class of Pakistan. We
demand that the government should
immediately arrest the culprits involved
and deal them according to the law.
PTUDC seeks solidarity messages and
total condemnation form all trade
unions across the country against this
barbaric assault on Riaz Hussain Lund
Baloch.
Trade unionists from all over the world
should express their revulsion at this
murderous act and their solidarity and
support for comrade Riaz Lund, for the
Pakistan Trade Union Defence
Campaign and all the people who are
struggling against oppression and
injustice in Pakistan.
Send solidarity messages at:
E-Mail: [email protected]
Postal Address: Pakistan Trade Union
Defense Campaign, Office No. 210Second Floor Al-Burhan Centre, Rizvi
Shaheed Road, Sadar, Karachi;
Phone: +92-21–2224816; Fax (Lahore
office): +92-42–6365659
Condemnation messages should be
sent to:
Inspector General of Police, Sindh
Police Headquarters, I.I Chundrigar Rd,
Karachi, Pakistan. Phones: +92-2199212626, +92-21-99212627; Fax: +9221-99212051
Chief Minister of Sindh, Chief
Minister's House, Civil Lines, Karachi,
Pakistan. Phones: +92-21-99202022,
+92-21-99202047 Fax: +92-2199212941
Workers Struggle in Coca Cola Gujranwala
The Coca-Cola Pakistan management
took a series of repugnant measures in
which thousands of workers have been
sacked across the country. The
management of Coca-Cola factory in
Gujranwala sacked the worker's union
president Nasrullah Chohan alongside
39 other workers who showed solidarity
with him. Coca-Cola is earning mega
profits even during these recession
times. According to the media reports,
Coca-Cola earned over Rs50 billion
(£300m) in revenues for the year ending
June 30, 2012; a staggering 55%
increase compared with the previous
year. Thousands of workers have been
sacked, and work is being outsourced to
third party contractors who are bringing in
workers with zero-hour contracts and no
health and safety standards. This is the
path many multinational companies in
Pakistan are deploying to avoid many
labour and human resource compliance
regulations.
In order to suppress workers grievances
and their demands, Coca-Cola
management is employing brutal tactics. In
Gujranwala, the workers are determined to
struggle against the management's
brutality, and they planned several
protests. They intend to gain solidarity from
workers and their representatives from
other industries.
Key demands are:
·
No indiscriminate sacking of
workers
·
Relocation to other departments
or sites should consider as a matter of
course.
·
Company management to
implement COD agenda.
·
Workers should fight against these
repressive tactics and actions of employers.
·
Management to provide facilities to
workers according to the company rules
·
Workers struggle to continue unless
the 40 sacked workers are not reinstated
·
Workers working in high-risk factory
areas should have high compensation in
case of death.
PTUDC members in Gujranwala actively
participated in the struggle. Gujranwala Plant
Workers Union president Yusuf Sipra said
that the workers will continue to struggle
unless demands are not met. Coca-Cola
workers are seeking international solidarity in
their struggle against workplace oppression
Page 3
Fatima Fertiliser Company Workers Struggle
offshore banks.
Since 2008, the productive outputs
have increased many folds with the
same level of workforce and
machinery. However, permanent staff
is being replaces with contract
labour. Major works in FFCL are
contracted to third party companies
who then employ extremely lowwaged workers. These third party
companies use harsh tactics to force
These all measures are taken under the
direction and involvement of the
company's CEO Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar
and his private contractors.
Through relentless struggle and with the
help of PTUDC members, contract
workers managed to form their separate
union to take up their issues with the
company's management. Despite the
fact that their union is officially certified
and registered by Government's
Fatima Fertiliser Plant
Workers Protests outside Fatima Fertiliser Plant
CEO Fawad Ahmad Mukhtar Accused of Brutalising Workers
leading stock market speculating
firms, Fatima Group and Arif Habib
Group.
The Fertilizer companies in
Pakistan are enjoying massive
government subsidies. Their
principal raw material, the natural
gas, is supplied by the government
at highly subsided rates. Ordinary
Pakistani citizens are forced to pay
hefty gas prices for their homes to
keep these rapacious fertilizer
companies running. Furthermore,
these companies also enjoy huge
tax breaks from the government. In
the final analysis they are making
mega profits benefitting their
bosses, large feudal farmers in
billions and depositing in their
their workers to work for longer
hours at extremely low wages – a
slavery kind of situation. Moreover,
to help these contractors, FFCL
employs anti-union laws and uses all
possible tricks to prevent workers
from collective bargaining.
Establishing scab unions,
threatening and sacking active union
workers are some of the
management tactics in this regard. It
is reported that legally demonstrating
workers are often dealt with physical
brutality either by the company's own
security personnel, hired private
thugs or police. The company,
usually, gets over with all rules and
laws through bribing local
administration, courts and police.
Department of Labour, the FFCL
management and its CEO Fawad
Ahmed Mukhtar is not recognizing the
union in their company and prohibiting
them from Collective Bargaining. While
protesting, the employment of two of the
union leaders Ali Gul and Ghulam
Mohiuddin was terminated through a
false enquiry. Already 50 other workers
were sacked in few months due to trade
union activities. PTUDC is taking up this
issue and have strongly supported the
right to form a union of contractual
workers. Furthermore, national and
international solidarity with trade unions
is initiated with the aim to defend the
rights FFCL workers in particular and
contractual-workers in general.
Agriculture is an important
economic sector in Pakistan.
Current the fertilizer industry in
Pakistan is run by a private Mafioso
Cartel. Fatima Fertilizer Company
Limited (FFCL) is a leading
component of this cartel and
employs over 4,000 workforce
producing around 500,000 metric
tons of fertilizer. This company is
formed through merger of two
Gerry’s DNATA Airport Staff and Workers Struggle
GERRY'S DNATA (GN) is a merger
between Pakistan's travel company
Gerry Private Limited and UAE
based global airport handling
service DNATA Corporation.
Airports in Pakistan are government
owned and managed by Ministry of
Defense, however, more than 90%
of airport services are outsourced to
private companies including the
GN. GN is enjoying monopoly over
major airports in Pakistan. The
company management is accused
of severe security negligence
related to the attacks on Karachi
Airport on June 8, 2014 in which
several of its workers were killed.
The families of the deceased are not
compensated, despite promises and
announcement by the government.
Union members who were
demanding compensations were
victimized and sacked.
An extraordinary meeting of the
Union was held in August 2014 in
Karachi Airport in which members
showed their deep concerns on
pending issues and raised their
demands. Zubair Rehman PTUDC
member demanded the government
to compensate the deceased
workers families and also reinstate
sacked union workers, immediately.
Workers also initiated a solidarity
campaign to reach out to the workers of
other sectors and establish close
communication links. They also planned
to increase union finances through
increased memberships.
Paksitan Postal Workers Strike Against Planned Cuts
Publically owned Pakistan Post Office (PPO) workers initiated countrywide series of strikes and protests
against slashing of worker's housing benefits, delayed payments of bonuses, and below the inflation increment
in wages. In this regards, a demonstration of postal workers was organised in the city of Quetta in Balochistan
Province on Wednesday June 4, 2014. Workers raised slogans against PPO bureaucracy and the government
and showed their anger on the government on presenting antiworker and anti-poor budget to appease international finance
and donor agencies. This government has offered a paltry offer
to postal workers but has at the same time offered support and
bailouts to large businesses and multinationals companies
operating in Pakistan in the form of tax exemptions, electricity
and gas subsidies to the tune of Rs 490 Billion or £ 3 billion. The
protestors demanded immediate resolution of their demands
concerning housing and travel for postmen. PTUDC members
participated in the strike and expressed solidarity and vowed to
reach-out to workers and unions of other public sectors and gain
solidarity for PPO workers.
PTUDC Campaign on Minimum Wage and Permanent Employment
PTUDC activist in Karachi alongside other unions
launched a national campaign on 28 September
2014 for a living wage and an end to insecurity of
daily and contractual employment.
The Pakistani federal government has recently
announced monthly minimum wage of 12,000 PKR
(£71). However majority of the employers have
ignored this directive and are only paying wages in
the range of 4000PKR – 5000PKR (£24-£30) per
month. The federal government has no interest or
will to enforce this. PTUDC is in the forefront in
highlighting that the current level of minimum wage is
totally unacceptable. It doesn't take into account the
inflation and cost of living.
Furthermore, PTUDC Pakistan also demands
employers to end the short term contracts and daily
wage employment. All workers should be given
permanent contracts. In Pakistan, there is no state
social security system for the unemployed. Once a
worker is fired from his job or his short term contract
comes to an end, he immediately land into extreme
financial difficulties which affect his physical and
mental health. Also, his family suffers as a result of
this. This is due to the fact that on an average a
Pakistani worker is supporting about four members of
his family.
PTUDC demand that the workers should be
guaranteed permanent employment and all laws
regarding short-term contact and daily wages should
abolished and workers and their representatives
should demand their employers to end this
exploitation.
Support Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign (PTUDC)
To get involved and get your organisation affiliated, here are the recommended affiliation contribution. If you wish to
affiliate but would like to discuss affiliation contribution, please feel free to contact us by email on
[email protected] or phone 07971057346.
National trade union
Regional bodies
Branches / trades councils
Others
£500
£250
£100
£25
These are the affiliation fees for individuals:
Waged
£10
Unwaged
£5.00
Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………. Postcode: …………………………
Phone: …………………………………… Email:…………………………………………………….
Trade union / organisation: ……………………………………………………………………………
All correspondence and donations to: The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC),
65 Gristhorpe Road, Selly Oak Birmingham B29 7TD
All cheques and online transfers payable to:
Account Name: Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC)
Account No: 35 73 33 60 Sort Code: 30 - 92 - 99
Post to: 65 Gristhorpe Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7TD

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