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13 April, 2000Trade union rights for Wapda workers may be restored after almost a year and a half of struggle.
PAKISTAN: The All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions has sent the IMF, to which it is affiliated, an update on the workers' rights issue at Wapda (Water and Power Development Authority). On April 10, 2000, the government of Pakistan informed the ILO Governing Body that it accepted in principle the ILO's recommendations for restoration of trade union rights to Wapda workers. The government assured the ILO that the restrictions in this regard would soon be removed.
Khurshid Ahmed, who is general secretary of the APFTU, and also general secretary of the APFTU's major affiliate, the Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Central Labour Union, as well as a member of the ILO Governing Body, told a press conference in Lahore that he hoped the government would follow through on its assurances "in letter and in spirit without any delay". Ahmed referred to the report of the ILO Experts' Committee which described Pakistan's labour legislation as "flagrantly violative of ILO conventions ratified by the Pakistan government". These violations include denial of trade union rights not only to Wapda workers, but also railway, hospital and other public sector employees.
On December 22, 1998, a decree was promulgated by the president of Pakistan exempting Wapda from legal provisions concerning freedom of association and collective bargaining. Management of the state-owned utility was turned over to the country's armed forces. Over 100,000 employees were thus deprived of their legitimate trade union rights, and the IMF wrote to the Pakistan authorities urging them to repeal this ordinance and restore these rights.
In February 1999, the APFTU lodged a formal complaint with the ILO, which reportedly warned the government of Pakistan that if workers' rights to freedom of association (Convention No. 87) and collective bargaining (Convention No. 98) were not restored by May 2000, the Geneva-based organisation would request the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suspend assistance to Pakistan.
Khurshid Ahmed, who is general secretary of the APFTU, and also general secretary of the APFTU's major affiliate, the Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Central Labour Union, as well as a member of the ILO Governing Body, told a press conference in Lahore that he hoped the government would follow through on its assurances "in letter and in spirit without any delay". Ahmed referred to the report of the ILO Experts' Committee which described Pakistan's labour legislation as "flagrantly violative of ILO conventions ratified by the Pakistan government". These violations include denial of trade union rights not only to Wapda workers, but also railway, hospital and other public sector employees.
On December 22, 1998, a decree was promulgated by the president of Pakistan exempting Wapda from legal provisions concerning freedom of association and collective bargaining. Management of the state-owned utility was turned over to the country's armed forces. Over 100,000 employees were thus deprived of their legitimate trade union rights, and the IMF wrote to the Pakistan authorities urging them to repeal this ordinance and restore these rights.
In February 1999, the APFTU lodged a formal complaint with the ILO, which reportedly warned the government of Pakistan that if workers' rights to freedom of association (Convention No. 87) and collective bargaining (Convention No. 98) were not restored by May 2000, the Geneva-based organisation would request the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suspend assistance to Pakistan.