CHAPTER 7 - LABOUR

The Pakistan Peoples Party has always stood at the forefront of labour's struggle for the protection of their rights and their economic well being. The Government has a critical role to play in ensuring that the labour class is not exploited and that it receives its due rights and position in society. The Peoples Government in the seventies framed basic laws which to date still provide vital rights to the labour class.

The labour laws need some essential changes to meet the requirements of an entirely different labour-industrial environment than the one that existed thirty years ago. The goal at which the Peoples Government will provide a basis for improved labour-industrial relations, greater job and financial security to workers both during and after employment.

The scope of labour laws will be gradually expanded to include agricultural labourers and the present legal system for adjudication legal disputes will be remodeled and revitalised to ensure both labour and industry's rights are protected.  

A. ACHIEVEMENTS IN LABOUR 1993-1996

1. TASK FORCE ON SOCIAL SECURITY

The Peoples' Government giving high priority to welfare of labour, set-up the Task Force on Social Security to examine the Employees Old Age Benefits Act, 1976 and other labour laws to firm up various recommendations in regard to old age pension scheme, social security scheme and workers welfare scheme and various decisions taken. These could not be implemented due to the dismissal of the Peoples Government.

2. HOUSES FOR WORKERS

In order to provide housing facilities to the industrial workers, the government launched a programme for massive construction of labour colonies in the four provinces. Initially Rs.1 billion were allocated for this purpose from the Workers Welfare Fund. The programme was in addition to the regular programmes undertaken by the Provincial Governments with the Federal Government's additional finances to provide law cost houses to the workers. The programme envisaged construction of low cost houses and development of residential plots for allotment to workers on easy installments. Work on 7 schemes was in progress while another 14 were in the planning stage when the Peoples Government was dismissed. Under the Workers Welfare Fund, a large scale scheme to provide land for labour had also been finalized. These schemes scheduled to be completed by 1998 would have benefitted over one million workers and their families. The Peoples Government undertake to implement and expedite the scheme.
 
B. LABOUR AGENDA 1997-2002

• A new pension scheme will be formulated for labour extending coverage and the quantum of pension in the existing scheme Rs.425 to Rs.700 per month. Under the new pension scheme, coverage will be extended from the present 100,000 workers to 7 million by the year 2010. The Peoples Government will provide a fixed annual amount of Rs.1 billion to the Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) for implementation of the scheme;

• A new National Pension Scheme would be launched and all workers, and self-employed persons would be eligible to join the a new scheme;

• Workers will be covered by the Peoples Government social safety net;

• The Peoples Government will increase the number of housing schemes for workers and provide shelter to over one and a half million workers and their families by the year 2002.

• Contract labour shall be abolished and minimum wages will be increased keeping inflation in view;

• Workers shall be provided with an effective safety net for health care, education for their children and with old age pensions;

• Health insurance cover will be provided to meet major health emergencies;

• Funds from the Worker's Welfare Fund will be spent strictly for the sole benefit the workers and with the consultation of the worker's representatives;

• Major labour intensive public works programmes will be undertaken to combat un-employment and build infrastructure;

• Ex-employees of closed industries will be given the option to run those industries together with financial institutions on a "own as you pay" basis". Those industries which the employees refuse to run will be liquidated, so that recoverable financial resources, land and human resources can be reinvested in profitable ventures.