150 striking workers have been arrested from the venues of demonstration including their leaders and raids have been conducted by the police all over Pakistan. Hundreds of Pakistan Telecommunication (PTCL) workers demonstrated at the front of Pakistani parliament on Friday in Islamabad under the leadership of Malik Maqbool, general Secretary Staff Lion Union who is also arrested to raise their protest voice against the “Etase lat” administration who owns the 26% shares after the privatization of PTCL with whole management and administrative powers of the largest communication establishment of the country.
Yesterday there were three protests at different places in the capital Islamabad to press for their demands. More than 27,000 workers have been on strike for 22 days but the foreign owner of this public entity doesn’t curtsy to the just demands of the workers instead of accepting the demands management has terminated 1200 employees who are activists of different unions in the PTCL and have been leading the protest campaign of the workers.
Till today 16,000 workers have been issued show cause notices and monthly salaries have been stopped as well as the withholding of Eid bounces.
The strike call was given by the nine union alliance recently formed “United workers alliance” on the initiative of PTCL Staff Lion Union (PTCLSLU) which is affiliated with National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and stand runner up in recently held referendum. The management unlawfully stooped the second round of referendum and gave Collective Bargaining agent (CBA) status to the pocket union to further her anti worker agenda to retrench 15,000 workers. It is interesting that one fraction of CBA union also join the strike from first day.
The leader senior Vice President of Staff lines Union Nadeem Hyder Jaffery who is also the main leader of NTUF has been suspended from job along with Malik Maqool General Secretary of the same union. Naddem Hyder’s wife who is also the employee (GM Adm & Security) of the PTCL sacked from the job too because of her spouse is at the forefront of the present movement. Police has registered criminal case against Nadeem Hyder Jaffery on 19th August at Boat Basin police Station in Karachi with other union activists and police has unleashed a reign of terror in month of Ramadan and trying to harass family members every day and night.
The management is trying all its tactics to thwart the workers move and government, opposition, superior judiciary have not been listening to the cry. All these have proved they are with the management on different scale.
Now situation is becoming worsened for the workers from flood affected areas who are already living in very harsh conditions.
The workers demands are to
- Give 50% increase in their running basic salaries as announced by the government
- 100% increase in medical amount
- Eid bounce as PTCL earn 60 billion in the financial year
- 12% stock shares as per government announced policy.
It is very unfortunate that the judiciary is no more pro active and vocal on workers issue, government is in total support of foreign private owners of the very important public entity and media has neglected the going on heroic struggle of PTCL workers since the start of strike on 16 August 10.
National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) is going to held solidarity demo on 7 Sep Tuesday at 3pm at Chairing Cross, Mall Road, Lahore.
Nasir Mansoor
404 & 628,Mashriq Center, Gulshan Iqbal 14,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Phone +9221-4142025 Fax +9221-414-1898 Mobile +92300-358-7211
email; ntufpak@gmail.com
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