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No to PTCL Privatization
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Keep fighting till complete victory
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Long live Workers Revolution
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Long live Workers Internationalism
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Long live Workers Unity
Stop Massacre of 30000 jobs
The sword of privatization is once again hanging on the heads of 60000 telecom workers. The government wants to sell this public sector company at through away price, which earn 29 billion rupees profit every year. The 30000 jobs are under threat. Some multinational companies and local capitalists want to bought this company to get this huge profit in their pockets. They want to get this hen, which gives golden egg. The privatization of PTCL is not in the interest of workers and masses. The whole process of privatization in Pakistan showed that it will only benefit the ruling elite and rich.
Privatization gave free hand to capitalists for super exploitation of workers and plunder of state assests. The privatization process in Pakistan was started by the PPP government in 1989 on the dictates of IMF and World Bank. This was part of the over all programme of neo liberal economic policies of free market economy imposed by IMF and World bank. Last ten years of privatization has exposed all the false promises made by the ruling classes with
The workers and general masses. The dreams of prosperity, better jobs, decent wages and improved working conditions had been turned into the nightmare of increased poverty, unemployment, price hike and worst working conditions. The so called golden decade of privatization, deregulation and liberalization of the economy has made the life of the working class miserable. The privatization of Sugar, Cement, Fertilizer, Ghee and chemical industries resulted in the increase of all these things. The prices went up to more than 400% . Majority of the working class and poor no more afford these things.
Government made the promises that privatization will lower the prices and improved the quality of services and goods, unemployment will decrease and new industries will be established.But every thing happen in the contrary. The unemployment went up from 5% to 11% according to official figures, but actual numbers are far more higher. The people living under the poverty line have increased from 22% in 1990 to 50% in 2004.
Nearly one million workers have lost their jobs. More than 7000 factories have been closed down. Big cuts have been made on conditions and wages. Most of the permanent jobs have been converted into contract and casual jobs with very low pay. Trade union rights and activities have been widely curtailed. Most of the unions in the privatized industries and corporations have been turned into pocket unions. The working hours have been increased from 8 hours daily to 12 hours daily. No health care , education, transport, Social security and other basic facilities available to the workers after the privatization.
Privatization means poverty, unemployment , worst conditions, low wages, increased working hour, super exploitation, price hike and falling living standards. The rulers want repeat all these things in PTCL. 30000 workers will loose their jobs after the privatization. There will be more attacks on the working conditions and facilities enjoying by the workers. The telecom workers are comparatively high paid workers, but they will become low paid after privatization and they will also loose the job security.
PTCL provides cheap phone services to all over the country, which also includes rural areas. PTCL spent lot of money to provide this service to rural population , because it is not profitable. PTCL bear lot of loss every year, but no private company will do this, because capitalist only provide services or produce goods for profit. So they will not provide phone service to rural population, which is majority in Pakistan.
Privatization is a complete failure in Pakistan and also internationally , but present regime still want to continue this failed policy. In these circumstances, it is essential to resist against this policy. The struggle launched by the PTCL Trade Union Action Committee is very important step in that direction. The resilience shown by the workers so far has proved again that workers want to fight against privatization and other anti worker policies of management. The leadership should not betray the workers this time. They should not called off the strike and protest movement just on the basis of few false assurances, like in the past. They should continue this movement unless the government and management clearly withdraw the privatization plan and accept the other demands.
Now the management will try to split the movement, because they are afraid of from workers unity. It is very important for the workers to intact their unity. They have to fight against every attempt to split the workers.
PTURC fully support the just and peace full struggle of ptcl workers. This struggle is very important not only for the ptcl workers but also for the trade union movement in general. The victory in this struggle will gave new confidence and courage to other trade unions in Pakistan. This victory can become a revival point for the trade union movement and beginning of a new phase of the struggles.
Pakistan Trade Union Rights Campaign appeal to all the trade unions , federations, socialist and left organizations to support this struggle and show their practical solidarity. PTURC urge all the trade unions and movements, fighting against privatization and other issues to form a united front to defeat the privatization, neoliberalism, anti labour laws and free market economic policies.
Demands
1- Stop the privatization of PTCL and gave it under democratic control of workers management.
2- Accept all the demands of the trade union action committee, including Company pay
Scale, bonus, promotions etc.
3- Fully implement the agreements signed between unions and management.
4- Abolish IRO 2002, labour policy 2002 , Removal from service ordinance 2000-1
And all other anti workers and unions laws and policies.
5- Cancel all the anti working class agreements with IMF and World Bank and other international imperialist institutions.
6- No to WTO and Imperialist Globlisation.