Workers’ rights: Thousands of NADRA workers denied right to form union
Issue of ‘illegal’ workers’ body pending in court.
The management threatened that any violation would be liable to imprisonment up to one year including fine. PHOTO: NADRA LOGO
ISLAMABAD:
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) — an attached department of the Interior Ministry — marked Labour Day by denying its nearly 17,000 workers their fundamental right to form a union.
Though there exists a body, All Pakistan NADRA Employee’s Union (APNEU), but the authority’s management does not recognise it, terming it illegal and unofficial, and any activity through this platform is ‘liable to be prosecuted as per law’.
Moreover, this “illegal forum’s” activities are limited to Sindh only and no employee at the authority’s headquarters can even think of labeling himself as a sympathiser of union.
On Thursday, NADRA employees protested in Karachi in favour of their demands after which the management issued a circulation which said, “All NADRA employees fall under Essential Services Group. Under Article 7-A of Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1952, NADRA employees are prohibited to participate in any activity through the platform of labour union under the Industrial Relations Act.”
The management threatened that any violation would be liable to imprisonment up to one year including fine.
The unofficial union’s general secretary, Salman Zuberi, talking to The Express Tribune, said they managed to register NADRA employees union through the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) but the NADRA management moved the Islamabad High Court against it and now the matter is pending in court.
He said in the past the Supreme Court of Pakistan passed a verdict in favour of employees of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), who were also denied the right to form a union to protect their rights by the CAA management.
“NADRA employees are the most oppressed government servants. It [NADRA] is the sole federal government department that does not have any service structure in place,” Zuberi added.
In the ongoing tussle between the workers and management, a director general of NADRA also resigned from his post over the issue. The official was playing the role of a mediator between the workers and management. When contacted, he declined to be named and did not share details saying he served the government for 46 years and that now he wants to spend time with his family.
Harassment free environment denied to workers
The authority’s management has recently agreed to form Central Working Committees and Regional Working Committees considering it a better replacement to workers’ union.
These committees are mandated to address grievances of workers and their scope of responsibilities includes service-related matters, posting/transfer, medical facility, allowances and ensuring a harassment-free environment, among other things.
The composition of these bodies was decided during a meeting on March 25 at the authority’s headquarters in Islamabad. The minutes of the meeting, issued later, state “It’s clarified that the points [harassment free environment and transfer/posting] are hereby deleted from the scope of RWCs.”
“Denying harassment free environment has left thousands of workers vulnerable to the management’s unjust decisions. Now, the employees have no forum to lodge their complaints in this regard,” Zuberi lamented.
He said in 2012, NADRA terminated some 61 employees who had protested in favour of their demands. He also criticised the RWCs saying they do not include workers’ representatives.
NADRA’s stance
NADRA Spokesman Faiq Ali Chachar, when contacted, said the incumbent management was committed to resolving the just and genuine pending issues of employees.
About deletion of ‘harassment-free environment’ from the scope of RWCs, Chachar said after the incumbent chairman assumed his post, a number of workers-friendly initiatives had been introduced and no one would be allowed to manipulate the situation.
“The employees’ protest is illegal, so are the activities of the union,” Chachar said while counting a number of benefits given to employees in the recent past.
Regarding the service structure, Chachar said a consultant had already been hired and soon NADRA would announce a service structure.
He added that NADRA was a service provider and those employees who would try to hinder the working of the authority would be dealt with in accordance with law.
About the union’s legality, he said the matter will be decided by the court. “The court decision will be binding on the management and employees.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2015.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) — an attached department of the Interior Ministry — marked Labour Day by denying its nearly 17,000 workers their fundamental right to form a union.
Though there exists a body, All Pakistan NADRA Employee’s Union (APNEU), but the authority’s management does not recognise it, terming it illegal and unofficial, and any activity through this platform is ‘liable to be prosecuted as per law’.
Moreover, this “illegal forum’s” activities are limited to Sindh only and no employee at the authority’s headquarters can even think of labeling himself as a sympathiser of union.
On Thursday, NADRA employees protested in Karachi in favour of their demands after which the management issued a circulation which said, “All NADRA employees fall under Essential Services Group. Under Article 7-A of Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1952, NADRA employees are prohibited to participate in any activity through the platform of labour union under the Industrial Relations Act.”
The management threatened that any violation would be liable to imprisonment up to one year including fine.
The unofficial union’s general secretary, Salman Zuberi, talking to The Express Tribune, said they managed to register NADRA employees union through the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) but the NADRA management moved the Islamabad High Court against it and now the matter is pending in court.
He said in the past the Supreme Court of Pakistan passed a verdict in favour of employees of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), who were also denied the right to form a union to protect their rights by the CAA management.
“NADRA employees are the most oppressed government servants. It [NADRA] is the sole federal government department that does not have any service structure in place,” Zuberi added.
In the ongoing tussle between the workers and management, a director general of NADRA also resigned from his post over the issue. The official was playing the role of a mediator between the workers and management. When contacted, he declined to be named and did not share details saying he served the government for 46 years and that now he wants to spend time with his family.
Harassment free environment denied to workers
The authority’s management has recently agreed to form Central Working Committees and Regional Working Committees considering it a better replacement to workers’ union.
These committees are mandated to address grievances of workers and their scope of responsibilities includes service-related matters, posting/transfer, medical facility, allowances and ensuring a harassment-free environment, among other things.
The composition of these bodies was decided during a meeting on March 25 at the authority’s headquarters in Islamabad. The minutes of the meeting, issued later, state “It’s clarified that the points [harassment free environment and transfer/posting] are hereby deleted from the scope of RWCs.”
“Denying harassment free environment has left thousands of workers vulnerable to the management’s unjust decisions. Now, the employees have no forum to lodge their complaints in this regard,” Zuberi lamented.
He said in 2012, NADRA terminated some 61 employees who had protested in favour of their demands. He also criticised the RWCs saying they do not include workers’ representatives.
NADRA’s stance
NADRA Spokesman Faiq Ali Chachar, when contacted, said the incumbent management was committed to resolving the just and genuine pending issues of employees.
About deletion of ‘harassment-free environment’ from the scope of RWCs, Chachar said after the incumbent chairman assumed his post, a number of workers-friendly initiatives had been introduced and no one would be allowed to manipulate the situation.
“The employees’ protest is illegal, so are the activities of the union,” Chachar said while counting a number of benefits given to employees in the recent past.
Regarding the service structure, Chachar said a consultant had already been hired and soon NADRA would announce a service structure.
He added that NADRA was a service provider and those employees who would try to hinder the working of the authority would be dealt with in accordance with law.
About the union’s legality, he said the matter will be decided by the court. “The court decision will be binding on the management and employees.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2015.