Garments workers convention
19 March 2023
A Garment Workers’ Convention of Textile Powerloom Garment Workers Union Punjab
was held in Lahore on 19th of March 2023. The Convention was attended by more than 250 field-level leaders of the union from Lahore and Faisalabad districts.
Unit level leaders from both the districts shared workers’ rights violations in the textile and garment sector. They disclosed that 98%  of workers are not getting official minimum wage. Almost all the workers are robbed of social security and EOBI cards. Sexual harassment cases are not reported at relevant forum or committee in the factories. Women leaders said whenever any harassment case is reported to the supervisor concerned, he adopts negative attitude towards the complainant.
Sharing TPGWUP success stories, the participants were told that jobs of thousands of workers were restored, wage rates were increased and social security as well as EOBI cards were delivered to scores
of laborers through the union efforts. The sector leaders appreciated the LEF support on training and legal fronts for workers. They said these trainings not only provide the required information but it empower them to claim their rights. Main speakers from the TPGWUP grass-root leadership included Mr. Shazad Sardar, Mr. Shahzeb, Ms. Saba Beig and Ms. Riffat from Lahore district, and Ms. Naila, Ms. Natasha, Ms. Khalida, Gulam Qadir, Sajjad Ali and Gulam Hussain from Faisalabad.
Senior trade union leaders Mr. Niaz Khan, Mr. Aslam Maraj and Ms Tajmeena, Haqoo-e- Khalq Party President Baba Latif, spokesperson Ms. Ayesha Ahmad also expressed their views. They said that trade unions in Pakistan are weak but the success stories shared by the TPGWUP leaders are harbinger of a bright future for the trade union movement in Pakistan in general and in Punjab in particular.

Ms. Ayesha Ahmed talked of the history of the struggle for worker’s rights and congratulated the TPGWUP leaders on their significant successes.