Call to declare tragedy site as monument to martyred workers
The National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) held a protest demonstration at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday in connection with the first anniversary of the fire tragedy at the garment factory, Ali Enterprises, demanding from the authorities to declare the site of the burnt factory as the monument of hundreds of martyred workers.
Despite worsening law and order situation in the metropolis hundreds of workers, including women, participated in the demonstration.
September 11, 2012 was one of the darkest days in the history of labour movement in Pakistan when a deadly fire broke out at Ali Enterprises, a garment factory in SITE area, killing 257 workers within a short span of time.
The workers’ representatives paid glowing tributes to the martyred workers and expressed commitment not to let their sacrifices go unnoticed.
They asked the government to ensure holding effective labour inspections under the Factory Act so as to avoid such incidents in future.
The speakers said that despite lapse of one year no measures had been taken for the safety of workers at the factories which remain prone to such incidents.
They said that the main cause of these incidents was the setting up of industries in residential areas illegally and without making proper arrangements for the health and safety of the workers. The workers’ representatives said that the government, the departments associated with labour affairs and the owners were equally responsible for such deadly incidents, adding, “These factories have been turned into death traps for the labourers for the lust of hefty profits and they are forced to work in extremely inhuman condition”.
They regretted that the workers have been deprived of their basic right of forming unions at the workplaces and they have to face trials in anti-terrorism courts if they luckily form a union somewhere.
“The multinational companies and international brands are ignoring the worst treatment being meted out with the labour class in Pakistan and their only priority seems to get products on time with cheap labour,” they added.
They also criticised the International Labour Organization (ILO) “for backing the industrialists and the government functionaries and deviating from its real objective of working for the welfare of the labourers.
They alleged that the factory owners, Labour Department, Social Security, Employees Old-Age Benefits Institute (EOBI) and labour courts were involved in exploiting the workers for vested interests.
“In a situation when seeking justice has become impossible for the labour class, the workers need to launch a joint struggle to get their due rights,” they added.
The participants of the demonstration were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the anti-workers’ polices, and against “Kik” and “RINA”. Kik was the international brand whose products were being manufactured at Ali Enterprises, while RINA was the audit company that had declared the ill-fated garment factory “clean” of any sort of negligence.
The workers’ representatives who addressed the demo participants, included Nasir Mansoor, Zehra Khan, Jalil Shah, Manzoor Razi and Saira Feroz.
The participants also adopted a declaration, calling for issuing appointment letters to the workers at the time of their recruitment as well as ensuring their safety and protection at the workplaces.
The declaration also sought implementation of national and international labour laws and called upon the government to ratify ILO convention of occupational safety and health. It also asked for adopting effective strategies to initiate the process of forming workers’ representative unions at the factories.
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