Pakistan : Trade unions lament lack of industrial workplace safety
LAHORE, Sep 19: Trade union representatives from all over Punjab have appealed to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take note of the increasing number of accidents involving labourers caused by unsafe
working conditions at various industrial enterprises in the province.
“Three workers were killed, while many others injured in a blast at a food factory on Multan Road in Lahore on Saturday because no safety measures were taken there,” said a resolution unanimously adopted by representatives of constituent trade unions of All Pakistan Workers Confederation at an emergent meeting of the body at Labour Hall, Nisbet Road, on Sunday.
The resolution urged the chief minister to arrange payment of Rs2.5 million special compensation for the dependents of each victim.
Through another resolution, the body condemned imposition of a ban on forming trade union in Pakistan Railways on the pretext of Essential Services Act.
“The ban is in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 17-A of the Constitution and in ILO conventions No 87 and 98 which had been ratified by Pakistan government. There had been no bar on forming trade union in railways (even) during the Colonial era. Railway workers all over the world (form) trade unions,” said the resolution.
Earlier, the Confederation’s Punjab president Rubina Jameel said more than two dozen labourers, employed with Metro Orange Line Project had lost their lives due to unsafe working conditions.
Osama Tariq said there had been an alarming increase in fatal accidents involving Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) workers during the last one month or so. As many as seven field staffers lost their lives while performing duty on lines during the period, he added.
Khushi Muhammad Khokhar said the working conditions in transport, railways, mining, chemical, engineering and allied sectors had been worst as the accidents in these enterprises were not reported.
Niaz Khan said the workers engaged with the textile industry contract respiratory diseases due to lack of safety measures by the factories’ owners.
Veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed demanded setting up of a high-level committee to hold a thorough inquiry into the rising number of fatal accidents involving labourers.
The committee should also fix responsibility for such accidents so that those found responsible should be brought to the book and awarded exemplary punishment, Mr Ahmed said, urging the workers to refuse to work in case they were not provided with safety gadgets at the workplace.
“Owing to a lack of safety regulations’ implementation at the workplace, Pakistan is being termed one of the most dangerous countries for field staff on the basis of high number of workers deaths in mines, textile, chemical, transport and other industries due to unsafe working conditions.
“It was due to non-observance of the safety laws that more than 300 workers were burnt alive in Baldia Town factory fire in Karachi, while some 52 workers died at a chemical factory at Sunder Industrial Estate in Lahore,” Mr Ahmed added.
Published by Daily Dawn on Sep 19, 2016
