ALL PAKISTAN WORKERS CONFEDERATION THOUSANDS OF WORKERS MARCH AGAINST PRIVATIZATION NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
PROTESTORS RAISE SLOGANS DURING DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB ISLAMABAD
Leaders of the 7 trade union Federations All Pakistan Workers Confederation expressed strong opposition to privatisation policies of the government and assured workers of state entities that his party would oppose moves towards selling public organisations.
Labor leaders Khursheed Ahmed, Rubina Jamil, Anwer Gujjar, Akbar Khan, Rao Nasim, Nasir Gulzar, Latif Nizamani, Ramzan Achakzai addressing thousands of workers of Wapda, Railways, National Bank and other public sector organisations at a protest demonstration organised by All Pakistan Workers Confeder.ation (APWC).
The protesting workers, who arrived in the federal capital from all over the country, gathered in front of the National Press Club and marched towards Aabpara waving national flags and red flags.
They carried banners condemning the proposed privatisation of electricity at the behest of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
We refused the government’s anti-worker policies had left the labourers and farmers destitute.
The union leaders, speaking to the protesting workers, alleged that the government had been working on plans to privatise Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) and other electric supply companie, National Bank, United Bank, Railway and other state owned companies bcz there was an agreement between government and IMF/World bank privatize all companies till December 2015.
Workers representatives demanded that privatisation of power distribution companies, PIA, Banks should be stopped immediately. Reforms should be introduced to provide cheap electricity to citizens and overcome loadshedding, he said.
“The government should develop cheaper sources of electricity generation such as hydel, gas and coal rather than relying on furnace oil,” he said.
The union leaders called upon the government to have dialogue with unions and discuss privatisation in the National Assembly and Senate rather than taking unilateral action.
They warned that if the government does not respond to their demands within a week they would be compelled to take industrial action.
Wapda, Railway workers would resort to a three-day electricity shut down,railway shut down a union leader warned.
Khursheed ahmed and Rubina Jamil vowed that the working class would resist any move from the government which is against the interests of the working class.
Addressing the government, they said: “Beware of the day when not only electricity is disconnected but also telephone, gas, railways are suspended. These workers should not be taken lightly because they are a force which could disrupt the whole system.”
General Secretary Rubina Jamil APTUF and Rao, Nasim General Secretary Railway workers Union (openLine) announced to hold a bid workers protest against privatization on 30th of April, 2015 in which workers from all over Pakistan participate.
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