Union and employers: Debate sought on loom workers’ welfare

Factory owners say LQM leaders are extortionists

FAISALABAD: Several factory owners in Faisalabad accused leaders of Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM) of extortion and harassment after some power loom workers abandoned work on Saturday to press their demand of induction of more workers for cleaning machinery. The LQM has responded by called for a public debate so that workers had a chance to raise their grievances.

The factory owners gathered in front of the DCO’s office and protested against the LQM leaders, who they said were inciting workers to harass the employers.

Several meetings have been held between the LQM and factory owners without an agreement.

On Saturday, the owners offered keys of their factories to a representative of the DCO, saying they would not reopen the factories until steps were taken to curb LQM’s intervention in factory issues.

Talking to newsmen, Abdul Lateef, one of the protesting factory owners, said the LQM was trying to extort money in the name of workers.

“They have threatened us and harassed us over many times,” he said.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at Faisalabad Press Club, LQM chairman Mian Abdul Qayyum and president Aslam Meraj challenged factory owners to a public debate on workers’ welfare. “Let us openly talk about exploitation of loom workers. Let us talk about the wages they get for the amount of work they do,” said Qayyum.“Whenever attempts are made to protect workers from exploitation, we are accused of extortion,” he said. “We now challenge factory owners to a munazara (debate). They should come to the Press Club at 10:00am on February 29 if they are serious about their claims,” he said.

“We will offer our arrest voluntarily if the factory owners are successful in proving allegations extortion they are accusing us of,” he said. “We will see who is an extortionist.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2016.