ckaihatsu
16th August 2011, 00:24
PAKISTAN: Protest the Firings of 41 Unionists at Capital Industry in Lahore
ALL PAKISTAN TRADE UNION FEDERATION
14-N, Industrial Area,
Gulberg II
Lahore-Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
-----------
Management of Capital Industry Terminates 41 Workers, Including 6 Union Officers
Dear Friends,
Militant greetings from the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF)!
I write this letter to inform you that 41 workers, including 6 union office-bearers, were terminated by Capital Industry in Lahore, Pakistan, on account of their union activities. I urge you to join us in supporting these workers and sending messages of protest to the company's CEO and to the government authorities demanding that these workers be reinstated, that the collective-bargaining agreement be respected and that the full rights and benefits of these workers be upheld. [See sample letter of protest below.]
Workers at Capital Industry (Pvt) Ltd. in Shahdra, Lahore, Pakistan -- a company that manufactures bicycles -- voted overwhelmingly to form a union and to affiliate with APTUF on May 24, 2011. Management, however, did not recognize the collective-bargaining status of the Capital Industry Workers Union (known as CBA) and used different tactics to harass the union leaders and workers. On August 8, workers of Capital Industry went to the factory in the morning; outside the gate a notice was posted announcing that 41 workers, including 6 union officer-bearers, had been terminated.
APTUF is a National Trade Union Center in Pakistan, with affiliates in 240 trade unions of public and private sector industries and commercial institutions. The informal sector unions, brick-kilns workers and general laborers are also part of the federation. APTUF is also struggling to eliminate child/bonded labor and all kinds of discrimination against workers (women and men) and striving hard to uplift the working and living conditions of the down-trodden sectors of the society.
After the workers voted to form a union on May 24, 2011, Capital Industry refused to recognize the union -- in violation of Pakistan's labor laws and ILO Conventions 87 and 98. Not only did management refuse to enter into contract negotiations with the union, which is affiliated with APTUF, it threatened the union and the workers who insisted on pursuing their rightful demands through dialogue -- and then on August 8 it went so far as to terminate 41 workers, including the six union officers.
From the beginning of this struggle, the workers at Capital Industry have been faithful to their cause and have shown great strength and moral conviction. Together with leaders and organizers of APTUF, they have remained firm in protesting the constant harassment -- and demanding union recognition -- with plant-gate rallies and actions in front of the offices of the District Labour Officer, the Secretary of Labour and the Director of Labour of Punjab. They have also protested the violation of basic health and safety measures at the plant.
The CBA and APTUF have filed charges against Capital Industry's management for refusing to negotiate with the union on their demands. They have also met with the Shahdra police on the issue of harassment of workers and the working conditions in the plant. Labor Department representatives have visited the factory for inquiry. The District Labour Officer received an inquiry report and called on the management of Capital Industry to attend a meeting, but management did not attend.
The CBA and APTUF are demanding:
* Immediately reinstate 41 terminated workers,
* Start negotiations with the workers' union of Capital Industry,
* Accept the Union's demand notice,
* Stop violation of labour laws,
* Restore already availed benefits.
In light of this urgent situation, we ask unionists and activists the world over to please send protest messages to:
Waqar Shafi
Executive Director
Capital Industries
Lahore, Pakista
Fax: 92-42-36282503
and to
Mian Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister of Punjab
Fax: +92 42-35881383
Please send copies of your letters of protest to the workers:
Capital Industry Workers Union (CBA)
Email: [email protected]
Thank you for your prompt reply to this urgent appeal.
In struggle,
Rubina Jamil
General Secretary
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation
[email protected]
*****************
Sample Letter of Protest
Subject: Stop Illegal Labor Practices in Capital Industry
Dear Mr. Sheikh Waqar:
We are writing to express our deep concern about the ongoing violations of basic international labor rights at Capital Industry in Lahore, Pakistan.
We have been informed that the workers voted to form a union (CBA) -- an affiliate of the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation -- on May 24, 2011. We also learned, with great dismay, that instead of recognizing the union and opening contract talks with the union around its legitimate demands, management at Capital Industry has harassed the union leaders and workers -- and that, in fact, on August 8, 41 workers, including 6 union officer-bearers, were terminated on account of their support for the union.
This entire conduct by management at Capital Industry is in violation of Pakistan's labor laws and of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
We call upon you to respect the internationally recognized right to collective-bargaining at Capital Industry. At the same time we call upon you to:
* Immediately reinstate 41 terminated workers,
* Start negotiations with the workers' union of Capital Industry,
* Accept the Union's demand notice,
* Stop violation of labour laws,
* Restore already availed benefits.
We also wish to inform you of our full solidarity with the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation in this struggle, and we will be at their side until every worker obtains his and her full trade union rights.
We urge you to take all necessary measures to address this situation as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Name:
Organization:
Position, if any:
City:
State/Province:
Country:
Email:
ALL PAKISTAN TRADE UNION FEDERATION
14-N, Industrial Area,
Gulberg II
Lahore-Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
-----------
Management of Capital Industry Terminates 41 Workers, Including 6 Union Officers
Dear Friends,
Militant greetings from the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF)!
I write this letter to inform you that 41 workers, including 6 union office-bearers, were terminated by Capital Industry in Lahore, Pakistan, on account of their union activities. I urge you to join us in supporting these workers and sending messages of protest to the company's CEO and to the government authorities demanding that these workers be reinstated, that the collective-bargaining agreement be respected and that the full rights and benefits of these workers be upheld. [See sample letter of protest below.]
Workers at Capital Industry (Pvt) Ltd. in Shahdra, Lahore, Pakistan -- a company that manufactures bicycles -- voted overwhelmingly to form a union and to affiliate with APTUF on May 24, 2011. Management, however, did not recognize the collective-bargaining status of the Capital Industry Workers Union (known as CBA) and used different tactics to harass the union leaders and workers. On August 8, workers of Capital Industry went to the factory in the morning; outside the gate a notice was posted announcing that 41 workers, including 6 union officer-bearers, had been terminated.
APTUF is a National Trade Union Center in Pakistan, with affiliates in 240 trade unions of public and private sector industries and commercial institutions. The informal sector unions, brick-kilns workers and general laborers are also part of the federation. APTUF is also struggling to eliminate child/bonded labor and all kinds of discrimination against workers (women and men) and striving hard to uplift the working and living conditions of the down-trodden sectors of the society.
After the workers voted to form a union on May 24, 2011, Capital Industry refused to recognize the union -- in violation of Pakistan's labor laws and ILO Conventions 87 and 98. Not only did management refuse to enter into contract negotiations with the union, which is affiliated with APTUF, it threatened the union and the workers who insisted on pursuing their rightful demands through dialogue -- and then on August 8 it went so far as to terminate 41 workers, including the six union officers.
From the beginning of this struggle, the workers at Capital Industry have been faithful to their cause and have shown great strength and moral conviction. Together with leaders and organizers of APTUF, they have remained firm in protesting the constant harassment -- and demanding union recognition -- with plant-gate rallies and actions in front of the offices of the District Labour Officer, the Secretary of Labour and the Director of Labour of Punjab. They have also protested the violation of basic health and safety measures at the plant.
The CBA and APTUF have filed charges against Capital Industry's management for refusing to negotiate with the union on their demands. They have also met with the Shahdra police on the issue of harassment of workers and the working conditions in the plant. Labor Department representatives have visited the factory for inquiry. The District Labour Officer received an inquiry report and called on the management of Capital Industry to attend a meeting, but management did not attend.
The CBA and APTUF are demanding:
* Immediately reinstate 41 terminated workers,
* Start negotiations with the workers' union of Capital Industry,
* Accept the Union's demand notice,
* Stop violation of labour laws,
* Restore already availed benefits.
In light of this urgent situation, we ask unionists and activists the world over to please send protest messages to:
Waqar Shafi
Executive Director
Capital Industries
Lahore, Pakista
Fax: 92-42-36282503
and to
Mian Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister of Punjab
Fax: +92 42-35881383
Please send copies of your letters of protest to the workers:
Capital Industry Workers Union (CBA)
Email: [email protected]
Thank you for your prompt reply to this urgent appeal.
In struggle,
Rubina Jamil
General Secretary
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation
[email protected]
*****************
Sample Letter of Protest
Subject: Stop Illegal Labor Practices in Capital Industry
Dear Mr. Sheikh Waqar:
We are writing to express our deep concern about the ongoing violations of basic international labor rights at Capital Industry in Lahore, Pakistan.
We have been informed that the workers voted to form a union (CBA) -- an affiliate of the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation -- on May 24, 2011. We also learned, with great dismay, that instead of recognizing the union and opening contract talks with the union around its legitimate demands, management at Capital Industry has harassed the union leaders and workers -- and that, in fact, on August 8, 41 workers, including 6 union officer-bearers, were terminated on account of their support for the union.
This entire conduct by management at Capital Industry is in violation of Pakistan's labor laws and of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
We call upon you to respect the internationally recognized right to collective-bargaining at Capital Industry. At the same time we call upon you to:
* Immediately reinstate 41 terminated workers,
* Start negotiations with the workers' union of Capital Industry,
* Accept the Union's demand notice,
* Stop violation of labour laws,
* Restore already availed benefits.
We also wish to inform you of our full solidarity with the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation in this struggle, and we will be at their side until every worker obtains his and her full trade union rights.
We urge you to take all necessary measures to address this situation as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Name:
Organization:
Position, if any:
City:
State/Province:
Country:
Email: