Transport workers demonstrate against sacking of union activists
Today on 22 May, transport workers belonging to New Khan Transport and Metro Bus company alongside with labour Party Pakistan activists protested against sacking of their members from job. The bus company sacked 80 workers after they formed the first union.
The activists went in front of the bus company stand at Lahore railway station to protest with banners and placards. Dozens of police officers were deployed at the site of the demonstrations. Over 50 gangsters of the bus company were also standing in front of the place where the demonstration was to take place.
The bus company had hired some one to make a video of every one taking part in the demonstration. Earlier the gangsters of the bus company had threatened the leaders of the union about dire consequences if the demonstration take place.
Despite all the threats over 100 union members and LPP activists came to demonstrate and raised slogans for over an hour. Hundreds more gathered at the place when they saw red flags flying in front of the bus company.
The New Khan bus company is one of three main companies that are running inside Lahore on local routs. One of the rich politicians called Umer Hayat Rokari owns the company. There never had been a union formed at the bus company. The owner took it as a threat that the union is been formed and started sacking every single member of the union. He got one union leader arrested on false charges. Saleem is still in jail for the last one week.
There were many slogans for the release of Saleem. The demonstrators raised slogans like, “respect labour laws, No to union restrictions, bring back the sacked workers, No to contract system, Workers of the world unite, we will fight the gangsters, no to gangsters, releases Saleem, we are here to stay.
Farooq Tariq spokeperson Labour Party Pakistan and Mojeeb Haider, president New Khan Metro and Bus staff and workers Haqooq union spoke on the occasion.
Many print and electronic media was there. A group of journalist asked Farooq Tariq to organize similar demonstration for the acceptance of their demand and for the implementation of the 7-wage board award. He agreed to organize the demonstration in front of daily Jang group head office.
The demonstration uplift the morale of the union members that at last they were able to demonstrate in front of the bus company stand.
Report by: Tariq Mehmood