Government urged to review 'national labour legislation'

Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) has urged the government to review national labour legislation and bring it in conformity with the fundamental rights enshrined in Article 17/A of the constitution of Pakistan and International Labour Organisation (ILO).
General Secretary, (PWF) Khursheed Ahmed in a statement on Monday, recommended the government to review the legislation and said that labour legislation aims to ensure cordial labour management relations to promote welfare of workers and raise productivity.
He lamented that the 18th constitutional amendment has deleted Item No 27 of Concurrent List namely "Trade Unions and Industrial Disputes and Labour Disputes" and devolved this subject to the provincial list. He said that this amendment has created a paradoxical situation denying the rights of freedom of association. Khursheed further said that this amendment has given the impression as if political parties that promote national unity and harmony and defeat forces based upon ethnic and parochial and religious sectarian forces might be confined to work only to the provincial level.
He stated that the amendment is not only in violation of fundamental rights enshrined in Article 17/A pertaining to freedom of association and collective bargaining, but also international obligations undertaken by the government by ratifying ILO Conventions.
PWF general secretary also said that provincial governments have adopted Provincial Industrial Relation Legislation, which debars national Legal Institutions Framework to register industry-wise trade unions and federations and national employer organisations.
He also lamented that the Punjab government, in its legislation "Industrial Relation Act 2010" has debarred the workers engaged in establishment having less than 50 workers, whereas majority of the worker's are engaged in small and medium enterprises. He urged the government to restore the fundamental rights of the workers and employers and asked the provincial government to honour the National Constitutional Obligation by removing restriction upon the workers less than 50.