May Day reminds us of the sacrifices of the Martyrs of Chicago. The workers staged demonstrations against socio-economic exploitation, long working hours and sought provision of fundamental human rights at the workplace. The Pakistan People's Party believes that labour is an integral part of our economy.
The tremendous contribution by our workers in economic development and growth of the country in recent years cannot be denied. It is the need of the hour that workers should be given their rights and dignity in society to motivate them to achieve economic prosperity.
The Pakistan People's Party has always proved its pro-labour policies. The present government has taken a number of steps for the welfare of the working class. Minimum wage for unskilled workers has been enhanced from Rs, 4600/- to Rs 7000/-. The coverage of Employees' Old-Age Benefits Act, 1976 has been expanded. Death grant by the Worker's Welfare Fund has been raised from Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000 and marriage grant from Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 per daughter, for all daughters of the workers.
Benefits available under Worker's Welfare Fund have been extended to the workers of commercial and service sector, contract workers have been made eligible for share in the company's profits, education for workers' children is made free up to higher secondary level, flats and houses constructed by Workers' Welfare Fund shall be provided on ownership basis, employees of 80 public organisations have been offered 12% shares in their respective organisation through Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme, the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance 2000 has been repealed and the Sacked Employees (Re-instatement) Act, 2010 has been enacted to provide justice to government servants victimised on political grounds by previous governments.
The Labour Policy 2010 has enhanced old age pension, all workers registered under the universal registration scheme of the Employees' Old Age Benefits Institution shall be eligible for benefits from the Workers' Welfare Fund, all contract employees in the public sector are being regularised, the age of entitlement of old-age pension has been reduced from 55 years to 50 years in case of mine workers, survivors of the registered insured person under the EOB Act will be paid survivor's pension without any condition of minimum insurable employment and retired registered workers will be provided medical facilities from social security schemes.
To ensure payment of minimum wage, all industrial, commercial and other establishments shall ultimately pay wages to employees through cheque/bank transfers. Tripartite Monitoring Committees have been or are in the process of being set up at District, Province and Federal levels to monitor implementation of labour laws.
A full-fledged labour Market Information System shall be established with creation of a Human Resource Centre at different cities. The Pakistan Peoples' Party Government is committed to welfare and up-keeping of the working class. I appeal to the working class to join hands to make Pakistan a truly progressive, moderate and enlightened country for fulfilling the dreams of the Founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and our great Quaid-i-Awam Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
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