Karachi: In a vehement rejection, leaders from various labor organizations have united to oppose the draft of the “Sindh Labor Code,” which they claim will strip workers of basic rights and legal protections. The controversy was highlighted during a joint press conference organized by these labor groups in Karachi.
According to Home-Based Women Workers Federation, the proposed legislation, drafted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Sindh Labor Department, was developed without the necessary tripartite consultation involving government, employers, and labor representatives. Nasir Mansoor, General Secretary of the National Trade Union Federation, labeled the draft a “conspiracy” to impose anti-labor laws that would effectively eliminate the identity of workers and their established rights secured through over a century of struggle.
The code seeks to institutionalize the contract labor system, which has been described by critics like Naseem Rao, Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Workers Federation, as a move that leaves workers “entirely at the mercy” of contractors and third-party agencies, pushing them into a state of unrecognized “wage slavery.” The draft also redefines factory owners into categories that exempt them from many of their legal responsibilities, posing a significant risk to worker rights in cases of industrial disputes.
Furthermore, the proposed changes include the alarming provision of legalizing advance (PASHGI) payments, likened to a modern form of slavery by Hussain Badshah, General Secretary of the People Labour Bureau. This system would allow the trading of workers, severely degrading their living conditions, particularly those in kilns and agricultural sectors.
The conference also highlighted other draconian aspects of the code, such as the restriction of the right to strike and increased bureaucratic hurdles that complicate the resolution of industrial disputes, as pointed out by Zehra Khan, General Secretary of the Home Based Women Workers Federation. Tahir Khan, President of the Karachi Union of Journalists, emphasized the severe impact on media workers who are often subjected to third-party contractual systems.
A delegation met with the Sindh Minister of Labor and Human Resources to voice these concerns and presented a joint letter detailing the issues. The Minister assured that no legislation would proceed without worker consultation, a promise that labor representatives insist must be demonstrated in practice.
The labor leaders demand meaningful tripartite consultation to revise the labor laws effectively, immediate abolishment of the contract labor system, strict enforcement of existing labor laws, provision of social security for all workers, and the safeguarding of rights to unionize and collective bargaining.
This united front against the Sindh Labor Code signifies a critical moment for labor rights in Pakistan, as workers demand a legislative environment that recognizes and enhances their rights rather than diminishing them.