The Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) organised a huge demo on the 'International Labor Day,' which expressed deep concern over the spread of Covid-19, and demanded the government to ensure its social distancing SOPs strictly at factories and workplaces to save the lives of workers.
The demo was attended by a large number of workers and leaders of different workers' unions and civil society. Carrying red flags and banners, while maintaining social distance, they raised slogans.
In their speeches, the labour leaders said they are celebrating the 134th 'International Labor Day' in a situation when Covid-19 has become a huge global challenge and it has already devastated the working class. So far more than 3 million people in 205 countries are affected and more than 200000 of them have already died.
They said both developed and developing nations have failed to control this virus. They said the outdated healthcare system at global level has fallen on its knees. Millions of lives are at threat of death due to the faulty policies of rulers.
The conservative governments in countries like US, UK, Italy, Spain and Iran showed criminal negligence to control the virus at early stage, and today whole world is suffering the dangerous consecutives. They said the countries like China and Vietnam, where some traces of socialism are still present, showed a better response than the industrial western states.
They said this global virus has created a grave threat for mankind in whole world and even if the people succeeded to fight this disease, a grave economic crisis would greet them. Global economies have already gone into the ICU and the states are struggling to survive.
International organisations like the UNO, WHO and ILO have proved to be dead horses and they have failed miserably to tackle the crisis. Big international brands that earn profits of billions of dollars annually have already cancelled their orders, while the international lending institutions instead of waiving off their loans are giving more loans to the poor nations to further enslave them.
Multinational pharmaceutical companies are looking for a windfall from this global crisis.
Labour leader said 200 million workers have already been rendered jobless so far. More than one billion other workers, about 38 percent of total labour force, are facing pay cuts or joblessness.
Due to lockdowns more than 2.70 billion workers, 81 percent of global workforce, are facing cuts in their real wages. This is the most serious economic crisis after the Great Depression of 1929-30.
The capitalist states instead of giving relief to the workers are giving historic relief to the wealthy classes. The USA has announced a relief package of $2 trillion for industrialists. The UK is finalizing a relief package of 330 billion Euros, while Germany of 85 billion Euros. Following suit the poor countries like Pakistan are also trying to give relief packages to their capitalists and industrialists.
The Pakistani government due to its lack of ability has put the lives of entire population in uncertainty. Though the healthcare experts have already warned that the virus could take a huge life tool, the government steps to improve the healthcare sector are shamefully meager. Doctors are fighting this virus even without any facilities, while the so-called security state has already surrendered and playing the role of a spectator. It is shying away from saving lives of people. It has failed to provide people food and cash assistance. It has betrayed the workers who are being rendered jobless and also denied of their wages.
Pakistani industrialists despite getting huge packages from government have so far sacked more than 6 million workers. As per an estimate, this number may climb to 12 million.
The speakers said the government has allowed many industries to run under standard operating procedures (SOPs), but the ground realities show that these SOPs would not be followed by majority of industries and the lives of millions of workers would be put on stake.
They said this situation demands that working class should reorganise itself. Mankind cannot be left to the mercy of handful of capitalists and vested interests. It needs that masses and workers should join hands and create a better world with better facilities of healthcare and education, social security and security of job.
The demo participants demanded that the forced sacking of labors during lockdown should be stopped and all workers included home-based workers should be given their wages.
The industrialists should be compelled to follow the government instructions to save lives of workers. All foreign loans should be defaulted and this money should be spend on welfare of masses. All citizens should be registered with social security institutions. The budget of health and education should be made equal to the budget of defense. All anti-environment projects should be halted.
Demonstration was organized in Hyderabad, Shahpur Chaker, Nawabshah, and Tando Mohamad Khan to celebrate International Labour Day.
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