Trade unions in Pakistan

The Trade Unions in Pakistan are involved in Collective bargaining for a labor contract between an employer and employees.

= Labour Rights in the Constitution =

The Constitution of Pakistan contains a range of provisions with regards to labour rights found in Part II: Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy.

* Article 11 of the Constitution prohibits all forms of slavery, forced labour and child labour;
* Article 17 provides for a fundamental right to exercise the freedom of association and the right to form unions;
* Article 18 proscribes the right of its citizens to enter upon any lawful profession or occupation and to conduct any lawful trade or business;
* Article 25 lays down the right to equality before the law and prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of sex alone;
* Article 37(e) makes provision for securing just and humane conditions of work, ensuring that children and women are not employed in vocations unsuited to their age or sex, and for maternity benefits for women in employment.

Labour Legislation

Pakistan’s labour laws trace their origination to legislation inherited from British colonial rule. The laws have evolved through a continuous process of trial to meet the socio-economic conditions, state of industrial development, population and labour force explosion, growth of trade unions, level of literacy, Government’s commitment to development and social welfare. To meet the above named objectives, the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has introduced a number of labour policies, since its independence to mirror the shifts in governance from martial law to democratic governance.

See also

* List of trade unions in Pakistan

External links

* [http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/ifpdial/info/national/pak.htm National Labour Law Profile: Pakistan]
* [http://fesportal.fes.de/pls/portal30/docs/FOLDER/WORLDWIDE/GEWERKSCHAFTEN/BERICHTE/PAKISTAN.HTML Unions and Challenges. An Analysis of the Pakistani Situation]
* [http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sangat/Lab-Leg.htm Labour Legislation and Trade Unions in Pakistan]