Kiln owners submit proposals on wages, labour issues
Karachi, the hub of economic activity, owes its multicultural nature to the vast array of migrant families, who move to the port city in search for greener pastures. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Kiln Owners Association has sent recommendations to the federal government and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) regarding fixing minimum wages for workers and the elimination of forced and child labour at brick kilns.
The association presented its recommendations in a workshop for kiln owners, organised by the Employees Federation of Pakistan in collaboration with the ILO.
The federation’s Secretary General Nazr Mohammad said objections were raised about forced labour, child labour and extremely low wages in brick kilns and the owners needed to make a plan in this regard.
The Kiln Owners Association’s Senior Vice Chairman Mehr Abdul Haq said the industry in Pakistan is suffering from a crisis. He said there was a need to make special rules for the kiln industry keeping in view the ground realities.
He said the association has handed over its recommendations regarding minimum wage and the elimination of forced and child labour to the Employees Federation, which would convey them to the ILO and the federal government.
Later, the association’s Chairman Shoaib Khan Niazi said the supply of coal was being affected due to a huge increase in prices and heavy fines imposed by the Motorway Police on trucks carrying coal.
He said the kiln owners of Punjab would shut their units from July 15. The owners of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would also close down their kilns, he added. There are around 12,000 brick kilns in Punjab.