KARACHI, Feb 10: Representatives of workers and employers in Sindh failed to build a consensus view on Tuesday with regard to recommendations to be submitted to the government for carrying out amendments to the Industrial Relations Act, 2008.

They, however, agreed that the dialogue process between the employers and the workers must continue.

Both parties also agreed at a programme titled “Stakeholders Consultation on IRA-2008 Consensus Building” that the amendments to the IRA, 2008 should be done to protect their rights and also help boost the country’s economy.

The programme was organised by the Sindh labour department and the Workers Employers Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP) in support of the International Labour Organisation.

Sindh Labour Minister Ameer Nawab said at the programme that the amendments to the IRA, 2008 would be carried out after reviewing the recommendations given by representatives of both workers and employers.

He said that the recommendations would be presented to the federal labour minister in a meeting to be held on Feb 16 in Islamabad.

Earlier, Fasihul Karim Siddiqui, the chairman of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, Industrial Relation Act Committee, submitted recommendations to the labour minister and other participants for amendments to the IRA, 2008.

The recommendations included certain reservations over IRO, 2002, definition of a worker, supervisor and apprentice in the IRA, 2008, mushroom growth of trade unions at enterprise level, trade union membership, joint management board, audit, dispute resolution, strike notice, arbitration act, lock-out, dismissal from job with compensation, CBA agreement tenure (no agreement should be allowed with individual workers other than the CBA), penalties (fine and imprisonment both should be done in case of non compliance).

However, most of his recommendations were rejected by Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, the secretary-general of the National Labour Federation.

Speaking on the occasion, the senior vice president of the All Pakistan Trade Union Organis-ation, Habibuddin Junedi, said that the country’s economy was under stress and everyone would have to play their role to minimise problems.

“If we are developing consensus on every law then we should develop a consensus on the highest and lowest wages as well,” he added.

Mian Zahid Hussain, the president of Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, stressed the need for building a investor-friendly and moderate policy to bring foreign investors.

He said that industrialists were going to Bangladesh and Dubai in the absence of a favourable environment here.

He said that the government had announced Rs6,000 as a minimum wage but people were compelled to work for Rs4,000 as employment opportunities were no longer available.

Former president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Majeed Aziz said that domestic investment had reduced to an alarming level.

He urged the government not to take the step of allowing import of goods from China because it would destroy the local industry and reduce the opportunities of employment.

He observed that it seemed that the government was more interested in political matters instead of taking measures to strengthen industries.

Qamar-ul-Hassan, the secretary of the Sindh chapter of the WEBCOP, said that the government should ensure the rights of the association during legislation.—PPI