By Khalid Bhatti 26/05/2005
Workers refused to call off the strike; we will die, but not bow down
The 60000 telecom workers have started the indefinite strike today. This decision was taken in the meeting of union’s actions committee in Islamabad yesterday, after the negotiations failed. The civil administration and police tried to force the leaders to call off the stike, but failed. This strike has entered into a crucial stage. Government is preparing a clamp down on the leaders and they will try to arrest them. Leaders and workers are determined to face any repression and arrests. The second and third lawyer of leadership and strike committees has been formed.
The strike is so successful that not a single office of the PTCL is open through out the country. The workers have locked the telephone exchanges and offices.
TURC-P has started to mobilize the other unions in solidarity with telecom workers.