After five months, hundreds of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) workers regrouped outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Saturday to resume the protest against their forced dismissal from service.
On July 26, after a series of talks and the mediation of civil administration, an 86-day long protest by thousands of KESC workers had ended after the labour union reached an agreement with the Abraj-led KESC management.
The workers – described by the power utility as ‘non-core, non-technical, and non-management’ employees – were fired from the KESC and only reappointed again after intense protests and the intervention of the Sindh governor.
Claiming that the governor had deceived them and their demands have still not been met, the sacked KESC workers announced resumption of hunger strike against the power company’s management on Saturday.
During the protest, a man identified as Zamarud Khan, a driver at KESC, tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. He was rescued by his colleagues and shifted to the Civil Hospital, where doctors pronounced his condition as stable.
Speaking at the demonstration, KESC labour union president Ikhlaq Khan said that the Sindh governor in collaboration with the KESC administration had deceived the workers as the power company has not restored the employees.
“Around 4,500 employees declared non-core employees by the KESC were assured that the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) would not be imposed, but the governor failed to fulfil his commitment,” he said. “To date, six KESC workers have committed suicide due to the anti-labour policies.”
Alleging that the KESC has started punishing the employees who protested against the management, Khan claimed that some workers have not been given their monthly salaries for the past eight months.
“The company is hiring new employees on contractual basis but is not paying salaries to the protesting employees,” he said.
The labour union president alleged that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the KESC have a deal in place and that is why the provincial governor did not honour his commitment.
“Enough is enough and now we will not believe on anyone and continue our protest until the KESC accepts all our demands,” Khan warned, adding that the 4,500 employees will resume their protest from Monday (tomorrow).
A camp for hunger strike will be established outside the KPC on January 2 and the labour unions of all government and private institutions will join the KESC workers. “On January 5, the employees would decide the future strategy if their demands are not met,” he added.
Addressing the protesters, MNA Safdar Abbasi lambasted the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government, alleging that the government is working on anti-labour policies. “If then federal labour minister Khursheed Shah, Sindh Power Minister Shazia Marri and senior PPP leader Taj Haider are supporting the KESC employees, then who is more powerful than them that the demands of these workers were not being accepted,” he questioned.
Responding to a question from Abbasi, the protesting KESC employees responded that President Asif Zardari is the only hurdle in their way.
Assuring the protesters of joining them, the MNA asked labour unions of the country to join hands against the current government and announce a rebellion as that of 1968.
