Unsecure jobs, short-termism are major challenges for working class, says IUF Director South Asia

Qamar ul Hassan Siddiqui was addressing a delegation of Pakistan Food Workers Federation.

Speaking on labour issues, IUF Director South Asia said that the issues face by workers today include unsecure jobs, and increased automation, and to tackle these problems we need to be organized and prepare for tomorrow .

The fourth delegation of Pakistan Food Workers Conference was held in Lahore from February 5-6. The purpose of this conference was to elect responsibles for positions in the Federation.

As a result of the elections, Labor leader Syed Zaman Khan as chairperson, Syed Nazar Hussain Shah as president, Mohammad Ahmad Khokar as senior vice president, Rukhsana Robinson, Abdul Aziz, Sajid Mahmood, and Qaswar Abbas were elected as vice presidents. Mohammad Ashiq Bhutta as General Secretary, Khaista Rehman has been appointed as Deputy General Secretary, Mohammad Saleem, Mohammad Asif, Mehtab Abbasi, Nayyer Kamal as Joint Secretary, Mohammed Arshad Finance Secretary, Naeem Sher Khan, Information Secretary, Mehak Butt Education secretary, Nasreen Manzoor Secretary Women Affairs, Iqra Jamil Secretary Youth Affairs, and Abdul Saboor and Shahbaz Ahmed were elected to the post of Organizer.

The conference has taken an important step in ensuring the participation of youth in the union and solving their problems by introducing a seat for Youth Affairs, in addition to the traditional seats.

At the same time, the amendments to the Articles 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Constitution of the Federation were amended as per need.

The 2 days conference,discussed the situation of workers, their problems and the labor organizations involved in the Food and Beverage sector. Expressing concern over the unemployment caused by the rapid automation in all sectors and especially in the food sector.

Mir Zulfiqar said that it is a matter of great concern for a laborer whose income is already low, that all government facilities are being abolished. There is also concern that the move to give social security hospital into the private organization is a matter of concern.

Talking about the difficulties in achieving social security, Ashiq Bhutta said that there is still a lot of work to be done in this sector and that achieving social security is important for the working class.

He added, without political consciousness, the citizen and the working class cannot have access to their real rights.