By Khalid Bhatti 19/10/2006
Trade Union Rights Campaign Pakistan (TURCP) meeting in Islamabad attracts 150 from different public sector trade unions.
The Trade Union Rights Campaign Pakistan organized a meeting in Islamabad on 19 September to condemn the anti-trade union and working class policies of the present military-led regime. The newly elected union of the Public Works Department announced that it would from now on support the TURCP’s programme and campaigns. The president and chairman of the union announced to join the TURCP. Trade Union activists from the Railways, PTCL (Telecommunications), Post office, Journalist union, banks and other public and private sector unions participated in the meeting.
The trade union activists attending strongly condemned the ban on teacher’s organizations in Sindh province. The meeting also condemned the police torture of journalists in Lahore. The main speakers were Fazal Abbas Shah, Azad Qadri, Azam Janjuah, Muhammad Asif, Sajad Shah and Rana Liaqat.
The speakers explained that the present regime wanted to take back all rights and benefits from the working class. The working class won these rights and benefits through its struggle and sacrifices. The speakers said that if we want to defend our rights than we have to fight back. Speakers explained that unity and struggle can save us from this onslaught.
The following resolutions were unanimously passed in the meeting,
- No to the 12 hour working day, Repeal the draconian finance bill.
- Stop the privatization of public sector industries and corporations.
- Right of trade union and strike in all the public and private sector industries, corporations and departments.
- Nationalize the big sectors of economy and under the democratic control of workers.
- No to the ban on teachers organizations, reinstate all the sacked leaders of teachers unions.
- Abolish the anti workers and trade unions laws including Industrial relations ordinance2002 and labour policy.