A memorial gathering was held on Wednesday in front of the Baldia garments factory affected by a massive fire tragedy, marking the 12th anniversary of the incident.
Family members, workers and labour organisations paid tribute to the 260 workers who lost their lives in the fire. The National Trade Union Federation organised the event in collaboration with the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, and the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association.
Families of the victims lit candles in front of photographs of their lost loved ones. Social activists Nasir Mansoor, Zahra Khan, Asad Iqbal Butt, and Habibuddin Junaidi were among those present at the gathering.
While addressing the memorial gathering, labour leaders expressed their concerns, stating that workers' lives remain unsafe in factories after twelve years since the tragedy. The frequent industrial accidents indicate that the government, factory owners, and international brands are more concerned with profits than workers' lives.
They further criticised a German brand, which has not apologised or expressed any remorse to the families of the martyred workers despite their demands.
The leaders highlighted that millions of factory workers supplying international brands, including Ali Enterprises, continue to work in inhumane conditions. They condemned the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the non-transparent transfer of $6 million in compensation to an insurance company without consulting the victims' families and labour unions. The ILO was also criticised for its lack of oversight.
Labour leaders noted that the Baldia martyrs' sacrifice and the workers' struggles have resulted in labour-friendly laws in Europe, especially Germany. Programmes like the Pakistan Accord, which aims to improve working conditions for over 500,000 factory workers, have also been introduced.
The leaders condemned the Sindh government for permitting the demolition of the factory building without settling the dues of the victims, which has caused further distress to the families of the martyrs. The protesters demanded ensuring the implementation of laws to make factories safer, saying that the German brand should issue an apology to the families of the 260 martyrs.
They demanded international brands, including the German one, should stop violating labour laws in the factories they source from, and the agreement made by the ILO with the insurance company, without consulting the victims' families and labour representatives, should be made public, and the oversight committee should be restored.
They demanded abolishing the illegal contract system and providing permanent jobs for permanent work, as per labour laws. All employees should receive written job contracts, and wages should be paid through workers' personal bank accounts.
The anti-worker "Sindh Tripartite Labour Policy" proposed by the Sindh government and the ILO, which was drafted without consulting the workers, should be withdrawn, and disciplinary action should be taken against those responsible for drafting it.
The Sindh government should announce the official notification for the minimum wage. All workers should be registered with social security and pension institutions. The legal right to unionise and engage in collective bargaining should be recognised. The privatisation of public institutions should be halted, they demanded.