Labour unrest: a different view

This is with reference to the letter ‘The leftists and the labour movement’ (June 12), which lamented that the labour movement of 1972 had been oversimplified and that the significance of the struggle had been “overlooked”. Besides, it argued that workers “under the banner of the PPP” had played a decisive role in the restoration of democracy in the country. The fact is that it was not the workers’ support alone that had brought a landslide victory for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the 1970 general elections; it was the masses across the then West Pakistan who had rallied behind the call given by a leader who was seen as charismatic at the time.
A book entitled Zara Rehguzar Tou Dekho, based on the interviews by Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed of veteran labour leader Karamat Ali, who was among the founders of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), describes in detail the events related to industrial relations situation, especially in the industrial areas in Karachi. The book mentions the death of 10 workers during the intense protests (Pp.117,118).
The public humiliation of many mill-owners by the agitating workers is in the knowledge of people associated with the manufacturing industry during that era. However, one incident mentioned in the said book needs to be quoted here (p.113). It relates to a silk mill in the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) that was owned by Ashraf Tabani and his elder brother Habib Wali Muhammad, who was also a famous ghazal and playback singer. Habib had allocated a room in the factory for his riyaz. The protesting workers approached him and broke his favourite harmonium, which left Habib, who was quite a noble and gentle person otherwise, seriously bitter. I had started my career in industrial relations in the same eventful year of 1972, from a state enterprise in Kot Lakhpat, Lahore. I am witness to the unfolding of many incidents of industrial unrest. Despite introducing a progressive and unprecedented labour policy tilted towards workers’ welfare, the government had to create and deploy the Federal Security Force (FSF) to control the law and order situation in the country. The first managing director (MD) of the state enterprise where I worked had reached a wise and competitive settlement with the union of the factory. Instead of appreciating the initiative and ensuring peace within the factory, the workers overpowered the MD’s office and tried to pressure him to agree to their unlawful demands.
It was unfortunate that no harmony could be developed among the three stakeholders of the industrial and commercial establishments, i.e., the workers, the employers and the government. Had the workers and their unions availed of the opportunities made available in 1972, and the employers had acted responsibly, it would have developed a solid base for congenial labour relations and industrial progress in the future.
In marked contrast to the hyperactive 1972, currently the labour federations are maintaining a low profile, and the tripartite labour conference has not been held at the federal level since a long time.
PARVEZ RAHIM
KARACHI