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.
(KDLBDWU)
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.
Dissolve the 50-year-old Board
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).
Dock workers marched
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.
Unjust attack
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.
Power trade unions
“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.”
Six trade unions
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.
Karachi Port
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.
Order reducing worker
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.
Underhand attack
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.
Amicable agreement
“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.”
