What we now call \u201crights\u201d were once fought for in the streets by ordinary workers with extraordinary courage \u2014 Labour Day is their legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It commemorates both the struggles endured and the rewards earned during the years-long labour movement that gained traction after the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The movement kicked off with a nationwide general strike on May 1, 1886, when over 300,000 workers \u2014 including 35,000\u201340,000 in Chicago \u2014 came out to demand an eight-hour workday, saying no to the utter exploitation they have been subjected to for so long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Days later, on May 4, a smaller protest of 1,000\u20133,000 people at Haymarket Square was met with unspeakable brutalities after a bomb exploded, marking a tragic turning point in the fight for workers\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The day reminds us of the countless sacrifices rendered in the long-drawn fight for fair wages, safer working conditions, and fundamental worker rights. Pakistan, like many other countries, recognises this day to honour labour dignity and safeguard these rights. But while offices close and social media fills with tributes, the very people this day is meant to celebrate continue to toil in silence \u2014 underpaid, unprotected, and unheard. Ironically, we celebrate labour while doing little to uphold its rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To better understand the current reality, Pakistan spoke to representatives from various labour organisations working across the country. Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chaudhry Saad, General Secretary of the Pakistan United Workers Federation (PUWF), highlighted a wide range of issues: \u201cMinimum wage laws are not fully enforced, nor is social security implemented properly. The benefits promised under the Basic Worker Welfare Fund Act are often delayed by 10 to 15 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He pointed to a persistent disregard for safety:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave you ever seen construction workers following proper safety protocols? Safety laws are blatantly ignored, and violations are rampant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the PIRA (Punjab Industrial Relations Act), workers have the right to form unions. But nationwide, only 2% of approximately 61 million workers are unionised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PUWF official continued: \u201cI don\u2019t think a single law is being implemented fully. Under the IRA (Industrial Relations Act), every worker should receive an appointment letter \u2014 but most don\u2019t. Many aren\u2019t given gratuity either. If there\u2019s no appointment letter to begin with, gratuity is a non-starter. There are so many issues, one could write an entire book. Courts are our only option, but we all know how slow the judicial system is. Workers suffer endlessly as their cases drag on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saad recalled how the Punjab Labour Minister ran a campaign urging workers to report non-payment of minimum wage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut what came of it? We\u2019ve heard nothing about any companies being penalised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chaudhry Yaqoob, Chairman of the Muttahida Labour Federation (MTF), echoed these concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe state of labour law enforcement is dismal,\u201d he said. \u201cAppointment letters are missing. Minimum wages are enforced only where unions exist. And gratuity? Rarely given.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He explained that while every worker should be registered with Social Security and EOBI (Employees\u2019 Old-Age Benefits Institution), the majority are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBefore terminating a worker, the law requires a proper process: a show-cause notice, a hearing committee. But here, it\u2019s simple \u2014 they just say, \u2018don\u2019t come from tomorrow.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To prevent genuine unions, many employers create fake ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf workers try to form a third union, they must show 20% membership support. Employers don\u2019t allow it. And if they find out, they fire those workers overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, the condition of women workers is even worse. \u201cEven the educated ones barely scrape by. Most earn no more than Rs20,000 a month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rabia Razzaque, Senior Programme Officer at the International Labour Organization (ILO), addressed gaps in wage implementation and broader governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just the employer\u2019s responsibility. Supply chains have multiple tiers \u2014 the main company often isn\u2019t directly overseeing contractors or subcontractors. So governance quality varies across levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She raised alarm over retaliation against the organisers of unions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWorkers have the legal and constitutional right to form and join trade unions under both IRA and ILO conventions. But this right is routinely suppressed \u2014 structurally and informally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear, intimidation, and dismissals keep workers from organising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese cases end up in labour courts, reflecting the ongoing crisis of weak enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saad believes no meaningful change will come until workers are directly represented in Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnly industrialists and feudal lords sit there. Laws might be passed for show, but without workers at the table, there\u2019s no real implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stressed the importance of political will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook at how the government recently demolished shops belonging to powerful people. They decided to act \u2014 and they did. No mafia stands above the state. All it takes is willpower.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yaqoob agreed: \u201cLabour inspections are the key. But currently, they\u2019re non-existent. And if they happen at all, inspectors first seek the employer\u2019s permission, then cut deals behind closed doors. The workers\u2019 voices never reach anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe government does not represent the common man. In this system, the dominant class only protects its own interests,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Razzaque outlined the ILO\u2019s efforts to support enforcement in countries with limited resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur Strategic Compliance Plan works around the lack of inspectors by fostering social dialogue \u2014 between workers, employers, and government \u2014 on enforcement benchmarks and how they\u2019re measured.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the ILO is helping employers build compliance frameworks. \u201cThis includes keeping transparent records \u2014 of who works where, what they\u2019re paid, whether they\u2019re evaluated, and whether they have paths for growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Punjab, labour inspections have been digitised, resulting in \u201cnotable improvements.\u201d The ILO is also working with labour departments in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh to develop compliance plans tailored to local realities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But she warned that the labour market\u2019s problems were complex. \u201cWe want them solved without investing in actual solutions. The state must step in \u2014 build worker capacity, raise awareness about rights. This education should begin in school so children grow up knowing their rights and responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we mark another Labour Day, let\u2019s think beyond hashtags and office holidays. Think of the security guard standing in the sun all day for Rs20,000. Think of the bonded labourers at brick kilns. Of garment workers sewing for global fashion brands \u2014 without contracts, without timely pay. Of construction workers without helmets, gloves, or safety ropes. Workers are the foundation of the economy; if they crumble, we all collapse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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