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“Heavy-handed” response to pilot efforts to observe safety measures in Pakistan
3 September 2010
The ITF has expressed alarm over the Pakistani government’s decision to invoke legislation against workers at a Pakistani airline. The move follows steps taken by pilots to observe safety measures.
In a statement released on 3 September, the ITF urged the Pakistani government to renege on its decision to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act 1958 in relation to workers represented by the ITF-affiliated Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (PALPA). The legislation may typically be used to intimidate workers and to prevent industrial action in the name of ensuring that essential services are maintained. The pilots, employed by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), have been working to rule to ensure that safety measures are adhered to.
In the statement, the ITF said that the government’s actions appeared to be “an attack on fundamental trade union rights and an attempt to silence the association.” It also called the move “unnecessarily heavy-handed” and explained: “We are aware that PALPA has raised its concerns about safety being compromised in PIA’s operations with the airline management and the government.”
The federation urged the government to “facilitate an equitable resolution to the dispute between PALPA and the PIA management and work with the parties to ensure good safety standards in the aviation industry.”
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