Daily Times

“Labourer is a friend of God” but he is being denied proper wages due to which the labour class is facing economic devastation in Sindh.

This was stated by labourers of Rice Mills, truck loaders, Beedi labourers and others while addressing a rally which was taken out on Saturday from a rice mill and after marching through various roads that culminated in front of Benazir Bhutto Press Club in Naundero on International Workers Day.

Wazir Ali, Gada Hussain, Ali Nawaz, Ghulam Raza, Sahab Khan Shaikh, Kashan Kazi, Bakht Kalhoro, Mumtaz Sethar and others said that workers were martyred in Chicago who were demanding proper rights and payments, but they added this day is only observed annually to pay tributes to them in recognition of their just struggle, only because they were martyred.

They said workers will continue to raise their voice till their demands are accepted by the capitalist governments. They said labourers are passing miserable lives below the poverty line and due to the coronavirus pandemic they are the worst affected category of human beings today economically.

They said during last year’s lockdown labourers suffered a lot but the rulers did nothing for them except hollow slogans and tall claims which should be condemned in strongest terms. They demanded a suitable raise in their wages so that they could be able to get their children educated and pass comfortable lives.

Meanwhile, members of Highways Employees Union, Watan Dost Mazdoor Federation, Flour Mills Labour Union, Awami Workers Party, Pakistan Trade Unions Federation, Labour Union of Municipal Corporation and Rice Mills Workers Union also took out separate rallies and held separate events to mark the day in Larkana implementing COVID-19 SOPs holding red flags and large placards in their hands. They also shouted slogans in favour of their just demands.

Mumtaz Chandio, Rajib Khoso, Dilshad Chajro, Rashid Soomro, Mubeen Shah, Deedar, Waheed Ali Kalhoro, Asadullah Rahujo, Sattar Mirani, Ghulamullah Hajano, Rasul Bux Shahani and others while addressing the participants, said that workers in the country including Sindh are being step-motherly treated in this massive price-hike era because they are not paid their wages according to their hard labour. They demanded proper wages and facilities to the labour and also paid rich tributes to the Chicago martyrs.