Trade unions in Pakistan are regulated under provincial industrial relations acts. Under the
Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of Pakistan ( ur, ), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's Pakistani political parties, opposition ...
, labour is considered a shared responsibility of the federal and provincial governments. The latest Industrial Relation Act was promulgated on 12 March 2012 by
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
. After its inception, Pakistan has inherited strong railways and port unions. Popular labor unions at that time were in Lahore Railway Workshop, led by Mirza Ibrahim, Hydro-Electric Central Labor Union, led by Bashir Bakhtiar and the Komal Flour Mill, Ganesh Khopra (Coconut) Mill in Sindh which was organized by Narain Das. Founder of Pakistan
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...
was also a labour leader, he was elected President of All India Postal Staff Union in 1925.
The rise of trade union struggle was seen during
1968 movement in Pakistan
The 1968 Movement in Pakistan was part of the protest against the dictatorial regime of Ayub Khan. It took the form of a mass uprising of students and workers, attracting people from every profession. The uprising took place from early November ...
, when leaders of major unions and federation joined hands against Ayub Khan in first week of March they organized March as the workers' "demands week".
As an aftermath of 1988 elections,
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto ( ur, بینظیر بُھٹو; sd, بينظير ڀُٽو; Urdu ; 21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 t ...
came into power, during power she under pressure from the World Bank and IMF she adopted privatization policies which were continued by
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime ...
. Owing to this liberation process, contractual labour was introduced which reduced bargaining power of unions. During
Pervez Musharraf
General Pervez Musharraf ( ur, , Parvez Muśharraf; born 11 August 1943) is a former Pakistani politician and four-star general of the Pakistan Army who became the tenth president of Pakistan after the successful military takeover of the ...
period, struggle of the PTCL workers against privatization attracted many activists to form alliances.
Labour laws relating to trade unions or the Industrial Relations Act 2012 do not enable workers to form unions. There is also very little room for those who are already organized in trade unions to bargain for the collective rights of workers.
Trade unions in Pakistan
Major confederation
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Pakistan Workers Confederation
The Pakistan Workers' Federation (PWF) is a national trade union centre in Pakistan. It is the largest labour organisation in the country and its affiliated unions are among the oldest. The centre itself was created in 1994 through a merger of t ...
Pakistan Labour organization major federations''
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Pakistan Workers' Federation
The Pakistan Workers' Federation (PWF) is a national trade union centre in Pakistan. It is the largest labour organisation in the country and its affiliated unions are among the oldest. The centre itself was created in 1994 through a merger of t ...
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation
The All Pakistan Trade Union Federation ( ur, , APTUF) is a national trade union center in Pakistan.
It was formed in 1988 and has 240 affiliated unions, including workers in unorganized sectors such as brick kilns, oil tankers, and the carpe ...
All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions
The All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions (APFUTU) is a national trade union centre in Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's ...
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All Pakistan Trade Union Congress
The All Pakistan Trade Union Congress (APTUC) is a national trade union center in Pakistan. It is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) based in Paris, France.
In 2011, All Pakistan Trade Union Congress had approx ...
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Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions
The Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions (PNFTU) is a national trade union center in Pakistan. It is a member of the Pakistan Workers' Federation and is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation
The International ...
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Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign
The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) is an international solidarity campaign for Pakistani workers.
History
In 1995, Arif Shah, a leading trade union leader, was assassinated. Following his assassination, the Punjab Labour Federa ...
(PTUDC)
Major unions
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Railway Worker's Union (Open Lines)
The Railway Workers' Union (RWU, ur, ریلوے ورکرز یونین) is a trade union of railway workers in Pakistan. It is among the oldest and largest trade unions in the country. It is affiliated with the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation ...
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Railway Worker's Union (Workshops)
The Railway Workers' Union (RWU, ur, ریلوے ورکرز یونین) is a trade union of railway workers in Pakistan. It is among the oldest and largest trade unions in the country. It is affiliated with the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation ...
References
{{Trade unions in Pakistan navbox, state=expanded
Trade unions in Pakistan
Trade unions in Pakistan are regulated under provincial industrial relations acts. Under the Constitution of Pakistan, labour is considered a shared responsibility of the federal and provincial governments. The latest Industrial Relation Act was ...