Labour leaders caution against politicising workers welfare institutions
National
December 26, 2020
KARACHI: Trade unions and labour leaders have urged both the federal and Sindh governments to avoid politicising the EOBI and Workers Welfare Fund issues and to bring some massive reforms to the service delivery of these social security institutions for the universalisation of the social security services in Pakistan.
Speaking at an online consultation on ‘Future of workers welfare institutions like EOBI & WWF’ on Zoom platform, organised by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) here on Thursday, the labour leaders deplored that the social security institutions had failed to serve the majority of workers.
Sindh Govt Suggests a 20% Increase in Minimum Wage
The Sindh Minimum Wages Board has proposed a 20 percent increase in the minimum wage. At a board meeting that presided over the minimum wage segment, the participants made the decision to increase the minimum wage, keeping in view the the struggles of the country’s cash-strapped economy.
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The participants considered numerous economic struggles currently on the rise in Pakistan. Their discussion revolved around aspects such as high inflation rate, price-hike in basic commodities, rise in pay of government employees in the budget for 2020-2021, and the capacity of employers to pay wages.
Sindh proposes 20% wage increase
Proposal to raise minimum wage evokes mixed reaction
KARACHI:
The minimum wages board of the government of Sindh has proposed a 20% increase in the minimum wage.
“After detailed deliberations, the board unanimously approved recommendation of 20% increase in the minimum wage of all categories of workers in respect of 42 industries,” said minutes of a meeting of the minimum wages board held earlier this month.
The board made the decision keeping in view the high inflation rate, hike in prices of basic commodities, rise in pay of government employees in the budget for 2020-21 and the capacity of employers to pay wages.
Karachi
December 18, 2020
Trade unions and labour support organisations from Sindh will attend a âPunjab Labour Conferenceâ to show solidarity with workers who have recently organised protests demanding rights for the workers in the province.
The Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM), a labour rights group, has been organising the conference in Faisalabad on December 23.
In the meeting of the National Labour Council, a joint body of the labour groups, held at the Karachi Press Club, leaders of various trade union and labour bodies agreed to attend the conference to show solidarity with Punjabâs workers.
Karamat Ali, executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, presided over the meeting where participants also agreed to form a national level joint body that will initiate a campaign for the workersâ rights.
Karamat Ali’s labour of love
Karamat was among the spearheads of the Social Forum that brought the workers of the world together
The writer is a senior political economist based in Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected]
A little noticed survey published this month tells a story not exactly startling, at least to us, with workers being laid off from the PSM, PIA and other PSEs with more ease than the doing of business, as if the officialdom is trying nickel and dime them to death during an intensifying pandemic. This is on top of the millions of job losses in the private sector including media. Conducted by the World Justice Project and Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, it ranks Pakistan 127