Pakistan transport unions defend Karachi Dock Labour Board, protecting 2,700 dockers’ jobs – but brace for struggle to continue.
Dockers mobilising in Pakistan have saved the Karachi Dock Labour Board (KDLB) – and with it, the jobs, decent wages and conditions it guarantees for 2,700 dock workers in the port city.
In a shining example of the power of worker organising, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) affiliate, the Karachi Dock Labour Board Democratic Workers Union (KDLBDWU), successfully convened a joint action committee of six trade unions to mobilise dock workers to fight for the KDLB.
But after winning the fight to secure the future of the Board, unions are now in a legal battle as the government undermines the agreement it struck by seeking to reduce worker representation on the KDLB.
The unions first came together in July after the Government of Pakistan sought to dissolve the 50-year-old Board, which is unique in Pakistan in overseeing fair labour relations between dockers and the federal agency running the port, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).
On 18 July, a protest rally of dock workers marched from the KDLB building to the KPT head office, where they staged a sit-in at the building’s main gate. The dockers drew strong support for their action, with representatives of trade unions, federations and political parties – including coalition partners in the current Government – visiting to express solidarity.
ITF Dockers’ Section Chair, Paddy Crumlin, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our brothers and sisters at the KDLBDWU for winning against this unjust attack on their pay and conditions.
“Their bold action has prevented thousands of workers from being pushed into immediate hardship, as well as the triggering of a race-to-the-bottom on pay and conditions in the region.
“This is exactly what worker power and trade unions are about – organising to win in the face of blatant attacks on workers so that we can build better lives for workers, their families and communities.”
Since its launch in 1974, the KDLB has ensured its docker members from across six trade unions enjoy decent terms and conditions via union-negotiated collective bargaining agreement (CBA) – under the KDLB, docker pay is around USD$350/month, without it pay would plummet to around USD$90/month.
After a visit to the port from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, in early July, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs sought to cut costs at the Karachi Port Trust by scrapping the KDLB.
But only four days after the sit-in started, the dockers’ joint action committee gained the unanimous support of the cross-party Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Maritime Affairs – it too opposed the government plan.
Then, on 27 July, after ten days of the sit-in and meetings between dockers and the Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs and KPT management, it was confirmed that the KDLB will remain.
However, only a week later the government issued an order reducing worker representation on the KDLB Board from five to two members, and stevedore representation from two to one.
The underhand attack is now being challenged in court by unions.
“This win owes everything to the unity of the dock workers under the leadership of the joint action committee of the KDLB trade unions, solidarity support from the ITF Dockers Section, and solidarity from other trade unions, federations and political parties in Pakistan,” KDLBWU President, Abdul Razzak, said.
“But the fight is not over. Although we reached an amicable agreement with all parties to secure the livelihoods of our members and all dockers in Karachi, it’s now clear that the government is out to undermine this by trying to cut the influence of workers on the KDLB – we won’t accept that and we stand ready to fight and win again, just as we always will when dockers’ rights are attacked.”
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Notes
- The KDLB was established by the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act 1974.
- There are 2,800 workers at the KDLB, comprised of 2,700 dockers and 100 supervisors and senior clerks.
- On average, dockworkers employed at the KDLB are paid around USD$350/month, which includes allowances and incentive payments.
- Workers are paid around $3.50/day for appearance money - they must turn up every day to a hiring hall where work is fairly allocated by union members, based on equal rotation. They work around 15 12-hour duty shifts per month.
- To meet the KDLB’s shortage of funds, a government per ton levy at the dock will be increased from US$.0.25 to US$.0.40.
- After agreeing to retain the KDLB, the Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Chairman of the Karachi Port Trust visited the dockers, confirming that the withheld post-retirement dues of 195 dock workers would be immediately released.
