The Solidarity Center and its partners in Pakistan conduct activities designed to improve labor conditions for Pakistani workers and working families.

A Pakistani textile worker measures and cuts fabric.

In February 2008, parliamentary elections brought the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its coalition partners to a powerful position in Parliament, and succeeded in ousting the military government. Yet the coalition partnership fell apart shortly after the elections due to political power plays, and Pakistan’s political future is uncertain and marked by a lack of elite consensus on the rules of the political game. This political tension is compounded by hyperinflation, power shortages, increased violence against women and children, and an escalating conflict against extremism. On the labor front, the rights of Pakistani workers and their unions have not improved substantively.

In virtually every economic sector in Pakistan, the labor relations system is in turmoil. This is partly due to years of neglect, evident in consistently poor legal enforcement at the provincial government level. The PPP has offered positive statements on labor issues such as raising the minimum wage, changing the labor law, and improving respect for labor standards and workers’ rights. The new Industrial Relations Act (IRA 2008) does not fulfill these promises, but is in fact worse for workers than earlier legislation.

Still, the formulation of IRA 2008 presented an opportunity for the Solidarity Center and its partners to advocate for worker-friendly policies and influence the legislative process. The Solidarity Center in Pakistan works with several national labor federations, including the Pakistan Workers' Federation (PWF), a popular platform with a secular orientation and a critical source of strength for democratic forces in the country. The PWF is also a key member of the Workers Employers Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP), a unique joint initiative between Pakistani unions and employers. This partnership promises improved industrial relations and poses a challenge to the political and economic hegemony of feudalism in Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan, the International Labor Organization (ILO), and many civil society organizations have acknowledged the importance of this alliance, which has remained vigilant in its campaign for reforming IRA 2008.

The Solidarity Center and its partners also work to build the capacities of a range of civil society groups and individual unions. Various joint initiatives raise awareness of workers issues, including child labor, to a broad audience. Other partnerships provide support for working women who have been victims of workplace discrimination, harassment, and abuse.

Pakistani Workers and Teachers in Fight Zones Need Your Help. The Solidarity Center has established a relief fund for Pakistani workers who have had to flee their homes to escape the fighting between the Pakistani army and the Taliban.

Advocating for Children in Pakistan. A longtime Solidarity Center partner in Pakistan believes that solving the problems of millions of children requires a comprehensive approach directed at policymakers and the public alike.

Learn More

Pakistan Workers' Federation monthly newsletter
Watch SPARC-TV, the multimedia site of Solidarity Center partner Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC).

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