Workers’ rights in Haripur
SAHARA is a rights-based, non-profit organisation working in Haripur, an industrial city in Khyber Pakhtun Khawa (KPK) where workers’ rights violations are rampant.
SAHARA Development Foundation works for the promotion and protection of social, economic and political rights of deprived communities. In spite of a tough working environment the organisation has reported on impressive results, such as an important High Court ruling leading to increased access to workers’ rights. Apart from other rights struggle initiatives, SAHARA has been engaged in the promotion and protection of laour rights in Haripur District.
In 2010 SAHARA ended a second year of funding from the NHRF, focusing on labour rights education, capacity building of potential labour leaders, revitalisation of trade unionism and advocacy for the labour rights.
Legal aid
During the course of three grants, the organisation has set up a Labour Resource Centre (LRC) which assists workers in attaining legal and technical support in acquiring their legal entitlements. In the course of 12 months SAHARA had dealt with up to 130 collective and individual Labour Rights Violation cases, ranging from terminal benefits, reinstatement, marriage grants, education awards and death grants.
Among the results of the project were the outcomes of some of the collective cases issued were 250 workers of Terbela Cotton Mills acquired minimum wages, 42 terminated workers of Chaudhray Fabrics were reinstated and acquired Social Security facilities, increment in salaries, and old-age benefits.
The organisation could also report that up to 40 workers of Villy Foods ensured legal annual leaves and overtime payments.
SAHARA has since the last project ended campaigned for the assurance of minimum wage to the workers, which is rarely fulfilled by employers. The recommendation was accepted by the government and included in the announced labour policy in May 2010.
Training on workers rights
Empowerment and training in workers' rights has been an important part of the projects. During the last project period SAHARA approached 619 male and female workers to increase their awareness on labour rights and entitlements, and built capacities of 243 potential labour leaders and engaged them in the rights struggle.
In addition, the organisation has been instrumental in the revitalisation of the Hazara Labour Federation. The union will be important for the workers to address their own rights in an organised manner and an important force to meet the many challenges ahead for the workers in Haripur. Hence, the work of SAHARA is linked to building a strong movement of workers in Pakistan. The NHRF is also supporting the work of SAHARA with a forth grant ending December 2011.