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London, Bradford protests launch Pakistan Air boycott

15 Maio 2006

Global union body the ITF will launch a consumer boycott of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) tomorrow to pressurise the Pakistani government to stop the victimisation of aviation workers. Acting on behalf of eight Pakistani trade unions, whose repression by the government has been internationally condemned, the ITF will join with British and Pakistani airline workers to ask concerned members of Britain’s Pakistani and wider communities to join them.

The campaign begins tomorrow with a protest at the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford and a rolling campaign of leafleting (text below) at mosques and Sikh temples in Leeds, Bradford and Manchester, followed by an action in London. Press are welcome to attend the actions:

· Tuesday 16 May from 10.00 to 12.00 at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Unique House, Napier Terrace, Off Leeds Road, Bradford BD3 8DD

· Saturday 20 May from 11.00 to 13.00 at the PIA office, Unit 1,Broadgate House, Manor Row Bradford, BD1 4NL

· London to be announced. Press release will follow.

The website for the campaign is www.itfglobal.org/boycott-pia

The ITF states that with the active support of the Pakistan government, PIA has attacked union members for years, suspending and sacking them with impunity, even when their tactics have been ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court. To defend its affiliated union members the ITF took Pakistan to the International Labour Organization (ILO), which ruled that the government was violating trade union rights - a judgement which it has chosen to ignore (see www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/actionpakistan.cfm for history).

David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary explained: “A boycott is a tactic we don’t use lightly, especially against an airline where our people are working, but we’ve tried everything else – from persuasion, to petitions, to the ILO. The trade unions in Pakistan are being hit hard, and they’re asking us to help them hit back.”

Mohammed Taj, a General Council member of the British TUC and the ITF affiliated Transport & General Workers’ Union (TGWU) - which represents PIA employees in the UK - and Chairman of its national Race Equality Committee, commented: “With the help of the government PIA has been getting away with the suppression of workers’ rights for years. These practices have no place in a modern nation, a modern airline or a 21^st century industry such as aviation.”

“Our brothers and sisters in Pakistan are calling on their colleagues and their kin in Britain and beyond to support them. That is why we are taking the heavy step of asking the traveling public to choose another airline when visiting Pakistan.”

ENDS

Text of leaflet being distributed in English and Urdu at mosques in the UKand at the two protests:

Don’t fly PIA!

PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) has harassed trade unions for years. With the support of the Government of Pakistan it has used anti-union legislation to sack the General Secretary and Publicity Secretary of the ITF-affiliated Air League of PIA Employees and snub dialogue with pilots. Six more union members were suspended for criticising the company’s attitude, followed by four more in March who had been giving out leaflets.

The ILO – the United Nations International Labour Organization – has condemned the attacks on PIA workers’ rights and has ruled that Pakistan is breaching human and trade union rights.

We are asking for your help to get back the jobs of our brothers and sisters at PIA, and to achieve legitimate union recognition. We believe that by asking you not to fly PIA we can persuade the company and the government to talk with the unions. There are a number of other airlines that fly to Pakistan and we ask you to make alternative arrangements with these companies until the dispute is resolved.

Please send a message of protest to the President of Pakistan and email a message in support of this campaign to www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk

Thank you for your time and support

International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

Pakistanand trade unions

PIA workers are not the only Pakistanis to experience violations of their rights. Investigation by the ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) has found the following: “Restrictive legislation…many cases…in which union recognition was denied….hospital workers were reportedly tortured to make them resign from their union.” Full report at www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991219529&Language=EN

ENDS

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org

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