Workers for 50pc increase in wages, pensions

LAHORE: All Pakistan Traded Union Federation (APTUF) Wednesday called upon the Prime Minister and the chief ministers of all provinces to ensure a 50 percent increase in wages and pensions for employees of government, semi-government, and private sectors in the upcoming budget.

The workers also wanted regularisation of daily, contract, ad-hoc, and contingent labourers in govt and private sectors. They emphasised the need for stringent safety measures to prevent fatal and non-fatal workplace accidents and to safeguard against occupational diseases. The labour representatives also asked the federal government to amend laws to lift the ban on trade unions in sectors such as Open Railway, Electricity, and NADRA, aligning with ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and Article 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Furthermore, they urged a reconsideration of the privatisation of public entities like Electricity, GAS, PIA, and Railway, advocating instead for measures to enhance productivity. They called for a Tripartite Labour Conference, as per ILO Convention No 144, to ensure workers' voices are included in policy-making.