Labour Day and Laborers' Concerns

Working people around the world have always had to struggle to win decent wages, and safe working conditions.

In the 1860's they campaigned for shorter working hours in many countries. On May 1, 1886, workers in Canada and the united states, held peaceful strikes and rallies to demand an eight-hour work day.

Two days later, Chicago police killed several demonstrators at a clash between workers and scabs in that city. A rally was held in hay market square to protest the killings, and when the police tried to forcibly disperse the crowd, a bomb was thrown. Seven policemen were killed; dozens in the crowd were injured.

Although, none had thrown the bomb, eight leaders of the Chicago workers movement were charged with the death of the policemen. They were all convicted. Four were executed, one died in custody, and three were given life imprisonment, but were eventually pardoned.

In memory of this struggle and the struggle of all workers for better conditions, May 1 was declared an eight-hour holiday in 1889, by the international workers' congress in Paris.

International Workers' Day (also known as May Day) is a celebration of the international Labour movement. May 01, is a national holiday in more than 80 countries and celebrated unofficially in many other countries too.

In Pakistan, labor policy was started in 1972 and 1st May was declared as Labor Day. Pakistan is a member of International Labor Organization and purpose of this membership is to protect the interests of workers. Despite this, such organizations in Pakistan have completely failed to save the interest of workers/laborers.

I think it will be worth mentioning here two disastrous incidents those took place last year in Pakistan where working many laborers lost their lives. Garment factories in Karachi and Lahore caught fire on 11 September 2012. The fires occurred in a textile factory in Karachi and in a shoemaking factory in Lahore. The fires proved to be the most deadly and worst industrial factory fires in Pakistan's history, killing 315 people and seriously injuring more than 250. Within a period of less than a year, the case is closed without reaching on the conclusions or any result. It is quite disappointing that no protection is given to laborers in Pakistan. And no labour organization stood for those victims.

In the last 5 years, business people especially laborers faced severe difficulties due to energy crises and extortion, ransom threats were at its height. Now the election is nearer and our vote should be for those who care laborers because they are the genuine builders of nation.