Labour legislation and its implementation: 'ministries' devolution will have far reaching implications'

Speakers at a national-level conference were of the view that the 18th Amendment enabled devolution of majority of the central government ministries and divisions to the provinces, which will have far reaching implications for labour legislation and its implementation.
The conference titled 'Labour Rights as Citizen Rights: Realising Constitutional Reforms was organised by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and Sungi Development Foundation in collaboration with Muttahida Labour Federation organised here on Friday.
The objective was to share labour's concerns and initiate debate on issues related to labour in the backdrop of the 18th Amendment, which has set the grounds for provincial autonomy and devolution. Saba Gul Khattak Member Planning Commission emphasised that the state's disinclination to deliver on social services has not only comprised people's constitutional rights; it has also resulted in extremely restricted scope for people's health, education, well being, and future.
Zafarullah Khan of the Centre for Civic Education stressed that the 18th Amendment was backed by a deeply consultative process and offers ample scope for provinces as well as the federation to deliver on fundamental rights. Representatives of workers involved in the informal sector highlighted the insecure and compromised state of working conditions in fisheries, agriculture, home-based, domestic and powerlooms sectors.
They said that state's neglected workers in informal sector have left over 70 percent out of the ambit of labour laws, while exploitation and abuse of rights remain rampant. Chaudhry Manzoor President Peoples' Labour Federation said on the occasion that there is need to consider trade unions' concerns regarding devolution. He said that the implementation Commission needs to be engaged while the process of devolution is underway.
Karamat Ali Executive Director PILER highlighted the exclusionary nature of legislation and structures concerning labour in the country pointing out that the narrowing down of the ambit of labour rights has had grave consequences for democracy and state-society relations in the country.
Haji Jawed, representing employers' position said that tripartism as currently being practiced in labour institutions is based on favouritism and it cannot yield positive results unless nominations are done on merit. Javed Gill, Central Labour Advisor, Federal Ministry of Labour, spoke about the draft Industrial Relations Ordinance 2011 that is developed to cover industrial relations in establishments which are federal or have undertakings in more than one province. He said that the Ministry is trying to bring the Ordinance before the budget. He also shared that the Home-based Workers draft policy is ready after provincial consultation and soon national consultation will be called to finalise it.