KARACHI:
Think of the extreme heat, heavy rains and the coldest nights and days. Unstoppably, every labourer works for us no matter what the weather or temperature. Labourers are denied compensation for their work and risk their lives but still they try to complete our work on time. Where a normal person cannot stay for a minute, they work for up to 12 hours. They build homes for us but live in huts. Their bodies, hands and feet are full of injuries.
Despite that, we refuse to give them the respect they deserve.
Imagine a labourer who comes on foot every morning seeking work that only gets him a thousand rupees — enough for his family for a day. Then think of yourself buying a burger worth a thousand rupees just to show off your money.
As the world observes World Labour Day on May 1, we all get days off from our work. Every year, we enjoy time with our families and make plans for picnics. But oftentimes, the labourers are still called to work on this day. I have been living in an industrial area for over 15 years, and I have rarely seen the factories closed; the owners and executive staff enjoy their day off and the labourers work like it’s any other day.
We post quotes on social media and deliver speeches in luxury hotels about the dignity of labour, but we do nothing to make labourers feel dignified on this day. They remain busy working on their machines, on the roads and at construction sites, while society at large enjoys a holiday in their name.
Labour Day should be for everyone, and specifically for every single labourer. It is a day for those who work to feed our children, construct our shelters and help us build this city — the bare minimum we can do is to let them enjoy Labour Day with their families.
Ikram Baloch
Hub
