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Trade unions in Pakistan
Umar shahid: /* Rise & Fall of Trade Unions */
Trade Unions in Pakistan are regulated under provincial industrial relations acts<ref></ref>. Under the [[Constitution of Pakistan]] labour is regarded as a 'concurrent subject', which means that it is the responsibility of both the Federal and Provincial Governments, although laws are enacted by the Federal Government but provincial government can make their own laws.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The latest Industrial Relation Act was promulgated on 12th March 2012 by [[President of Pakistan]]<ref>Industrial Relations Act, 2012<nowiki/>https://ift.tt/2N6NW0p>. National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) was established under Labour Policy, 1972 as a quasi-judicial authority to promote genuine trade unionism, setting up industry-wise federations of unions and at the national levels<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>. According to NIRC, in 2016 there were 1,390 trade unions with NIRC registered 1414160 members and 2755352 were federation registered. There are 16 registered federations and ratio of total union members to total employment is 2.2%<ref name=":0">Pakistan Labour Market Profile, 2018 (Danish Trade Council for International Development and Cooperation)
https://ift.tt/2NFlGz5>.
== History ==
The early history of trade unions in the country traces its foundation in [[Trade unions in India|British India]]. After its inception; Pakistan has inherited strong railways and port unions. M.A. Khan, a Punjab station master, had been organizing the railway workers since 1919 and his United Union of Railway Workers had a long history as a staunch affiliate of the All-India Railways Federation.<ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> It is interesting to note that at the time of independence out of 75 million total population of Pakistan only 0.63 %( 482,000) were engaged with industries (63 workers per 10000 populations).<ref>'''History of Labour Unions in South Asia,''' 2015 (POST GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF LAW, University of Lahore)
https://ift.tt/2osXoNE> Popular labor unions at that time were in Lahore Railway Workshop, led by Mirza Ibrahim, Hydro-Electric Central Labor Union, led by Bashir Bakhtiar and the Komal Flour Mill, Ganesh Khopra (Coconut) Mill in Sindh which was organized by Narain Das<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>. Interestingly, founder of Pakistan [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] was also a labour leader, he was elected President of All India Postal Staff Union in 1925<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.As a member of the Indian Legislative Assembly for over thirty-five years, he played a key role in the enactment of the Trade Union Act, 1926, which provided legal cover to the formation of unions<ref> Pakistan Workers Federation Central Punjab Region|date=2018-04-11|work=Pakistan Workers Federation Central Punjab Region|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref>.
Trade Unions went through a growing number of trade unions from 209 in 1951 to 7,096 in 2016; and the largest upsurge was in the 1970s. Also the number of trade union members expanded from 393,000 to 1.4 million during the same period, according to the available data from the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<ref name=":0" />
=== Rise & Fall of Trade Unions ===
Despite industrialization in the 1960s, the role of unions and their federations remained dormant due to martial law. However, from the industrial labor upheaval of the 1970s and the growing number of registered trade unions in the 1980s emerged powerful leaders with vast support from workers across Pakistan<ref name=":1" />.
The rise of trade union struggle was seen during [[1968 movement in Pakistan]], when leaders of major unions and federation joined hands against Ayub Khan in first week of March they organized March as the workers' "demands week", and called for a nationwide general strike on 17 March 1969, which was a brilliant success as the whole country came to a standstill. On this day, the electrical workers cut off electricity to the President's House, Islamabad Civil Secretariat, government offices and the GHQ of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi for two hours<ref></ref>.
During [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] period; trade union movement saw worst brutality on Korangi workers.On 7 June 1972, Bhutto followed through on his threat. Police red on demonstrating workers demanding back pay, who had gheraoed a locked-out factory. The next day at the funeral procession for the workers killed in the strike, the police stopped it and again shot into the crowd<ref></ref>.A brutal repression of workers followed: the Karachi Jail was packed to capacity – out of its 1,300 inmates, 1,200 were workers. Three-and-a half months later, in October 1972, the same thing happened in the Landhi Industrial Area – this time on a much larger scale. <ref name=":2"></ref>
In 1977, Zia-ul-haq came to power, by that time unions had a membership of 1.2 million but by the time he was killed in 1988 union had lost about 30% of memberships due to closures and the induction of contract workers on a large scale that made unionization impossible. This period was worst in history for trade unions.<ref name=":2" />The military dictatorship of Ziaul Haq used religious and ethnic fascist groups as well as intelligence agencies to crush the trade union movement in the country, Factory owners have been using religious groups to stop workers from carrying out strikes.<ref></ref>
=== 1990s to Present ===
As an aftermath of 1988 elections; [[Benazir Bhutto]] came into power, during power she under pressure from the World Bank and IMF she adopted privatization policies<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> which were continued by [[Nawaz Sharif]]. Although Mr Sharif attempts to introduce privatization and deregulation were upset by labor unrest and a government financial scandal<ref> on PBS|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=2018-09-01}}</ref>.Owing to this liberation process, contractual labour was introduced which reduced bargaining power of unions. The trade union activists were physically targeted, In 1995 Arif Shah, the President of the Punjab Labour Federation was assassinated, Just a week before his assassination President and General Secretary of the Steel Union (PRU) at the Ittefaq Foundry in Lahore, Mahmood Butt and Ghulam Miran Shah, were attacked and beaten<ref></ref>. During [[Pervez Musharraf]] period, struggle of the PTCL workers against privatization attracted many activists to form alliances.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In 2016, during a months-long series of protests against the plans to privatise Pakistan International Airlines (PIA),<ref> The Express Tribune|date=2016-02-02|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref> then Prime Minister Nawaz sharif introduced Essential Services Act and in a bid to disperse protesting Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees at Jinnah Terminal, security personnel resorted to baton-charging and using rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas shells on 2nd Feb resulting in death of two workers.<ref> Imtiaz Ali Hufsa Chaudhry Javed|date=2016-02-02|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref>
Labour laws relating to trade unions or the Industrial Relations Act 2012 don't enable workers to form unions. There is also very little room for those who are already organised in trade unions to bargain for the collective rights of workers. Today, trade unions present a sad picture according to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reports of 2014 and 2015, the number of deaths due to industrial accidents in just these two years has increased by 50% while injuries have risen by approximately 105%.<ref> Mansoor|date=2016-05-01|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref> Moreover, the number of deaths due to industrial accidents has increased massively. A snapshot of labour conditions in Pakistan exists in the form of the 2012 Baldia Town fire in Karachi, in which over 260 workers died in the inferno from a massive industrial accident<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.
Recently, [[Chief Justice of Pakistan|Chief Justice]] [[Mian Saqib Nisar|Saqib Nisar]] gave controversial remarks in case that he would have banned the trade unions in the country if they were not permitted by the Constitution<ref></ref>. It was strongly condemned by leading trade unions<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> and they asked for a apology from Chief Justice.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== List of Trade Unions in Pakistan ==
'''Major Confederation'''
* [[Pakistan Workers Confederation]]
Pakistan Labour organization '''Major Federations''
* [[Pakistan Transport & General Workers' Federation]]
* [[All Pakistan Trade Union Federation]]
* [[Pakistan Workers' Federation]]
* [[Pakistan Labour Federation]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of Labour]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions]]
* [[All Pakistan Trade Union Congress]]
* [[Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions]]
* [[Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign|Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC)]]
'''Major Unions'''
* [[Railway Worker's Union (Open Lines)]]
* [[Railway Worker's Union (Workshops)]]
== References ==
https://ift.tt/2NFlGz5>.
== History ==
The early history of trade unions in the country traces its foundation in [[Trade unions in India|British India]]. After its inception; Pakistan has inherited strong railways and port unions. M.A. Khan, a Punjab station master, had been organizing the railway workers since 1919 and his United Union of Railway Workers had a long history as a staunch affiliate of the All-India Railways Federation.<ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> It is interesting to note that at the time of independence out of 75 million total population of Pakistan only 0.63 %( 482,000) were engaged with industries (63 workers per 10000 populations).<ref>'''History of Labour Unions in South Asia,''' 2015 (POST GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF LAW, University of Lahore)
https://ift.tt/2osXoNE> Popular labor unions at that time were in Lahore Railway Workshop, led by Mirza Ibrahim, Hydro-Electric Central Labor Union, led by Bashir Bakhtiar and the Komal Flour Mill, Ganesh Khopra (Coconut) Mill in Sindh which was organized by Narain Das<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>. Interestingly, founder of Pakistan [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] was also a labour leader, he was elected President of All India Postal Staff Union in 1925<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.As a member of the Indian Legislative Assembly for over thirty-five years, he played a key role in the enactment of the Trade Union Act, 1926, which provided legal cover to the formation of unions<ref> Pakistan Workers Federation Central Punjab Region|date=2018-04-11|work=Pakistan Workers Federation Central Punjab Region|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref>.
Trade Unions went through a growing number of trade unions from 209 in 1951 to 7,096 in 2016; and the largest upsurge was in the 1970s. Also the number of trade union members expanded from 393,000 to 1.4 million during the same period, according to the available data from the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<ref name=":0" />
=== Rise & Fall of Trade Unions ===
Despite industrialization in the 1960s, the role of unions and their federations remained dormant due to martial law. However, from the industrial labor upheaval of the 1970s and the growing number of registered trade unions in the 1980s emerged powerful leaders with vast support from workers across Pakistan<ref name=":1" />.
The rise of trade union struggle was seen during [[1968 movement in Pakistan]], when leaders of major unions and federation joined hands against Ayub Khan in first week of March they organized March as the workers' "demands week", and called for a nationwide general strike on 17 March 1969, which was a brilliant success as the whole country came to a standstill. On this day, the electrical workers cut off electricity to the President's House, Islamabad Civil Secretariat, government offices and the GHQ of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi for two hours<ref></ref>.
During [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] period; trade union movement saw worst brutality on Korangi workers.On 7 June 1972, Bhutto followed through on his threat. Police red on demonstrating workers demanding back pay, who had gheraoed a locked-out factory. The next day at the funeral procession for the workers killed in the strike, the police stopped it and again shot into the crowd<ref></ref>.A brutal repression of workers followed: the Karachi Jail was packed to capacity – out of its 1,300 inmates, 1,200 were workers. Three-and-a half months later, in October 1972, the same thing happened in the Landhi Industrial Area – this time on a much larger scale. <ref name=":2"></ref>
In 1977, Zia-ul-haq came to power, by that time unions had a membership of 1.2 million but by the time he was killed in 1988 union had lost about 30% of memberships due to closures and the induction of contract workers on a large scale that made unionization impossible. This period was worst in history for trade unions.<ref name=":2" />The military dictatorship of Ziaul Haq used religious and ethnic fascist groups as well as intelligence agencies to crush the trade union movement in the country, Factory owners have been using religious groups to stop workers from carrying out strikes.<ref></ref>
=== 1990s to Present ===
As an aftermath of 1988 elections; [[Benazir Bhutto]] came into power, during power she under pressure from the World Bank and IMF she adopted privatization policies<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> which were continued by [[Nawaz Sharif]]. Although Mr Sharif attempts to introduce privatization and deregulation were upset by labor unrest and a government financial scandal<ref> on PBS|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=2018-09-01}}</ref>.Owing to this liberation process, contractual labour was introduced which reduced bargaining power of unions. The trade union activists were physically targeted, In 1995 Arif Shah, the President of the Punjab Labour Federation was assassinated, Just a week before his assassination President and General Secretary of the Steel Union (PRU) at the Ittefaq Foundry in Lahore, Mahmood Butt and Ghulam Miran Shah, were attacked and beaten<ref></ref>. During [[Pervez Musharraf]] period, struggle of the PTCL workers against privatization attracted many activists to form alliances.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In 2016, during a months-long series of protests against the plans to privatise Pakistan International Airlines (PIA),<ref> The Express Tribune|date=2016-02-02|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref> then Prime Minister Nawaz sharif introduced Essential Services Act and in a bid to disperse protesting Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees at Jinnah Terminal, security personnel resorted to baton-charging and using rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas shells on 2nd Feb resulting in death of two workers.<ref> Imtiaz Ali Hufsa Chaudhry Javed|date=2016-02-02|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref>
Labour laws relating to trade unions or the Industrial Relations Act 2012 don't enable workers to form unions. There is also very little room for those who are already organised in trade unions to bargain for the collective rights of workers. Today, trade unions present a sad picture according to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reports of 2014 and 2015, the number of deaths due to industrial accidents in just these two years has increased by 50% while injuries have risen by approximately 105%.<ref> Mansoor|date=2016-05-01|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2018-09-01|language=en-US}}</ref> Moreover, the number of deaths due to industrial accidents has increased massively. A snapshot of labour conditions in Pakistan exists in the form of the 2012 Baldia Town fire in Karachi, in which over 260 workers died in the inferno from a massive industrial accident<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>.
Recently, [[Chief Justice of Pakistan|Chief Justice]] [[Mian Saqib Nisar|Saqib Nisar]] gave controversial remarks in case that he would have banned the trade unions in the country if they were not permitted by the Constitution<ref></ref>. It was strongly condemned by leading trade unions<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> and they asked for a apology from Chief Justice.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== List of Trade Unions in Pakistan ==
'''Major Confederation'''
* [[Pakistan Workers Confederation]]
Pakistan Labour organization '''Major Federations''
* [[Pakistan Transport & General Workers' Federation]]
* [[All Pakistan Trade Union Federation]]
* [[Pakistan Workers' Federation]]
* [[Pakistan Labour Federation]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of Labour]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions]]
* [[All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions]]
* [[All Pakistan Trade Union Congress]]
* [[Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions]]
* [[Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign|Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC)]]
'''Major Unions'''
* [[Railway Worker's Union (Open Lines)]]
* [[Railway Worker's Union (Workshops)]]
== References ==
September 02, 2018 at 08:45AM
