Working under duress

LAHORE: Workers exploitation is a norm in Pakistan amidst the many challenges to growth and unemployment. Both men and women face these hurdles, but the hurdles faced by women are much more than those faced by men.

There is no concept of per hour wages to ensure fair earnings for a part time worker. The minimum wage law is meant for all workers, but in practice is limited to a small percentage of workers in the formal sector.

Child labour is unlawful in the country, but we see workshops and stores openly engaging them in work shifts spanning over 14 hours a day.

Majority of the workers are not treated well in Pakistan. Exploitation of child workers, home maids, workers in industry and services has become part of our culture.

Exploitation is at every level from small family businesses to domestic servants. The social protection to most of the workers is denied even by established formal concerns by engaging workers through contractors. The contract workers have no rights.

One just has to visit any market in Pakistan to see eight to ten year olds toiling in a workshop. They are engaged by the so-called workshop experts (mostly illiterate but called Ustad or teacher).

They are supposed to train them as car mechanics, electricians, carpenters, machine operators. In their initial years of training, they act as servants cum assistants helping the master by bringing tools, bringing tea and food for them and cleaning the workshop.

Any slippage in duty is accompanied with thrashing of the child. The exploiters are not afraid of law as all the abuse is carried out openly and not in hiding.

These children are deprived of their childhood pleasures and education. Child labour has been eliminated from exporting industries like soccer ball manufacturing and carpet industry, and even in cotton picking.

Child labour was stopped on the pressure of foreign buyers. But the incidence of working children in Pakistan has not declined.

Women workers are similarly exploited. Women working in agriculture, industry and services are paid less than men for similar work.

Their rights are also abused as domestic servants and brick kiln workers; and even as family workers in small enterprises.

Women and girls in power looms operated from home work without any monetary or social benefits with or without their will. Inadequate quality infrastructure for conducting business and economic activities impacts women more than men as their physical mobility is reduced.

Education and skill level of women in Pakistan is lower than men because of gender bias. Lack or low levels of education and literacy is another reason that women are less productive and get lower wages. They are less productive as they have to spend as many hours in unpaid work at home as they spend at their jobs.

The plight of children and fair gender gives an impression that the male workforce is operating comfortably. Though they enjoy some advantages over women and children, they also are exploited. They are mostly denied the minimum wage, overtime and job security. Even industries established in industrial estates deny their workers the minimum wage.

A few years back, an industrial building collapsed at the state of art Sundar Industrial Estate in Lahore that killed over 140 workers. During that investigation, it was found that the workers were paid almost 40 percent less than the minimum wage of that time.

Many governments claim that the new industrial estates they established created 100,000 to 500,000 jobs. But a look at the registration in the provincial social security organisation reveals that only 10th of the new employees were registered.

No one bothers about what happens to the remaining 90 percent of workers. Provincial social security departments provide free medical treatment to the registered workers and their families.

Arrange scholarships for their children and grant a certain amount for the marriage of their daughter. The employer has to deposit a small amount per worker at the social security department.

Those registered in social security also get the minimum wage as well. Those who are paid less than the minimum wages are not registered and the employer also saves the small monthly contribution to the department.

Lower wages keep most of the workers poor. Their families are deprived of quality nutritious food.

The number of stunted children in Pakistan is constantly on the rise. By neglecting our workers we are moving towards a human disaster as stunted children, if they survive would be less productive in adult life if ever employed.