Daily Times

Sir: Labour Day is an annual holiday that commemorates the social and economic achievements of workers. In 1884, the Federation of Organised Trades and Labour Unions approved a decision stipulating that eight hours would represent a legal day’s work from May 1, 1886. The declaration called for a general strike to accomplish the aim after all other methods had been unsuccessful. With workers being forced to work 11, 13 and even 15 hours a day, the eight-hour movement grew hastily. By April 1886, 252,000 workers were involved in the May Day movement. However, in Chicago, USA, the police opened fire on a demonstration of workers on May 1 that year in which many labourers lost their lives.

A huge part of national production of big industrial countries such as the United States, Germany and Japan is produced with the labour of workers. Agricultural production of countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and India is produced by the labour of farmers. Thus, labour is a very important factor in the production of wealth. Human resources can turn a barren piece of land into paradise.

To make Pakistan prosperous and enhance its growth rate, I suggest public policy makers should devise policies to address factors affecting labour productivity. To initiate increase in productivity, the government should implement the objectives of a labour policy along the lines of better trade unions, welfare of workers, security of jobs, just and humane conditions of work, transparency and meritocracy in hiring and firing, and contingency allowance to labour.

MUHAMMAD SAJID YOUSAFZAI

Rawalpindi