Up in arms: Workers’ unions across Bannu, Swabi take to streets

Protesters urge govt to prioritise their demands

SWABI/ BANNU: Various workers’ unions in Bannu and Swabi held protests on Friday over the government’s repeated failures to fulfil their demands.

Employees of the local government department in Swabi observed a ‘black day’ on Friday to ensure their demands for up-gradation, regularisation of contractual employees and adequate funding for the department are met.

A large number of employees gathered at the office of the Municipal Committee Swabi. Employees wore black bands around their arms and shouted slogans against the provincial government for not giving priority to their demands.

Members of the Swabi district council, Municipal Committee Swabi, Zaida Town Committee and various union activists also attended the demonstration. They later took out a rally which concluded at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk.

Bannu

The Municipal Employees Union in Bannu held a protest on Friday over the provincial government’s failure to fulfil their demands.

The strike was called on the directives of the union’s provincial leadership. Municipal employees took out a rally from their office which concluded at Bannu Press Club. The demonstration was led by the union’s president Tauseef Khan and its general secretary Hafiz Karim Dad Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, the leaders of the union said they had presented a four-point charter of demands to the provincial government. Under the charter, they demanded the up-gradation of employees from grade one to 16, improvements in the service structure, the introduction of a quota to accommodate the children of employees in case of new recruitments and the regularisation of contractual employees.

According to the leaders, the provincial government had announced it would fulfil these demands. However, even after seven months, the government has yet to take any steps in this regard.

Members of the union said if their demands were not met before May 1, they will begin a series of protests in the region.

Meanwhile, members of the district council employees union also took to the streets in Bannu over delays in their up-gradation.

Protesters marched to Bannu Press Club, led by president of the union, Ghulam Diyaz Khan.

Protesters said Assistant Director Asal Badshah and Audit Officer Dilawar Khan Wazir were using a series of tactics to blackmail employees and delay their up-gradation.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2015.