HYDERABAD: A senior labour leader and People’s Labour Bureau (PLB) Sindh chapter president Habibuddin Junaidi has said that the bureau would raise a strong voice for the rights of workers to be affected by a recent judgement of Supreme Court (SC), declaring a law unconstitutional.

He urged the apex court to review its order as it was going to affect 16,000 workers and their families.

Speaking at a press conference at the local press club on Tuesday, he said the PPP had passed Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Ordinance Act 2010 to reinstate those who were sacked in different regimes in different periods. He said the act was passed by the PPP government installed after 2008 elections. According to him, the reinstated employees are working in different government departments.

He said the PLB held the judiciary in high esteem and respected judges as well. Some affected employees had moved the SC against that 2010 act after their rights were infringed by it and then the court passed its order, he said and observed that the SC bench in its Aug 17 order had declared the act unconstitutional and now all those workers who were reinstated under the act could be sacked again.

He said that those workers would again approach the SC for review of the judgement. He urged the apex court to provide justice to them.

They only sought their right to jobs, he said, adding that the PLB was actively working on the issue.

He observed that all those workers should organise themselves for a legal fight as the PLB would fight that case on legal front.

He said the present Sindh government of the PPP had the “distinction” of introducing workers’ legislation and some were pending. Seven million home-based women workers were to benefit under a new law, he said. Similarly, he said, occupation and safety law was being introduced for workers’ safety.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2021