KARACHI - Trade unionists took out a rally here on Saturday to mark International Decent Work Day. The rally was organised by National Trade Union Federation and Home Based Women Workers Federation on the appeal of Industrial Global Union.

Participants of the rally were holding placards in their hands, inscribed with their demands for a decent work and adequate wages.

The speakers at the rally said that the capitalist system was stripping workers off their rights and this was evident not only in third world but also in industrially developed countries. 

The most unfortunate aspect of this malpractice, besides others, were the precarious working conditions due to which workers were losing their lives, they added. 

They said that Baldia factory fire incident in Karachi and oil tanker tragedy in Gadani were the instances of how dangerous a work could be.

Pakistan is one of those countries where workers dream of a decent job and wages adequate enough to make both ends meet easily.

Here the incumbent contract system exploits workers and they remain without their legal and constitutional rights,” the speakers lamented. 

They further said that this unjust system was being strengthened by American, British and European top brands that outsourced their work to Asian and African countries in search of cheap labour. The brands benefit from it financially and legally by greasing the palms of corrupt authorities, they alleged.

The speakers expressed the resolve that the working class was not the social partner of the capitalist investors, but was its rival, and the struggle for rights shall continue until the labour won over capital. 

The labor leaders said that the workers had been made dependent on market the rules of which were set by multi-national companies, giant corporations and international financial institutions. 

They said that over 75 percent workers in the country were being forced to work in informal sector where the labour laws implementation was almost zero. 

Workers were being forced to work beyond their shift timings without any benefit, under hazardous conditions and without any right to bargain through unions. They said that the unions were virtually banned across the industries and workers were victimized if they campaigned for it. 

They cited examples of H&M and Khaadi production units in Karachi where workers were sacked because they formed an independent union to work for their rights.

Those who spoke at the event include central president Rafiq Baloch, deputy general secretary Nasir Mansoor, Sindh president Gul Rehman of NTUF, HBWWF general secretary Zehra Khan and Inqalabi Adarsh Forum's Mushtaq Ali Shan.  The Baldia victims' representative body, Ali Enterprises Fire Affectess Association, also attended the rally and its chairperson Saeeda Khatoon spoke to it.