Needing a holistic social security mechanism for factory workers.

FAISALABAD -- By Iftikhar Ahmed

Since the world economies are facing serious crunch and price hike with Pakistan also not an exception, the backbone of our economy, the industrial workers are in dire need for a holistic social security system to ensure their survival.

As different departments are working in this sector and the factory workers have to run pillar to post for getting their in-service and post retirement dividends. This is an extra fatigue adding to their hardships.

Although, the federal and the provincial governments have taken different measures to protect interests of factory workers, yet after devolution of the Labor Department after 18th amendment, the situation had become complicated.

In present scenario, social security department, workers' welfare fund, labor department and EOBI are working for the same purpose but under different institutions.

According to a spokesman of Directorate of Social Security Faisalabad, there are more than 20,000 establishments in Faisalabad with the district divided into three zones; Eastern, Western and Northern Zones to facilitate the workers.

'More than 150,000 workers were secured in Faisalabad while out of total establishments, about 9000 units were closed and more than 100 units defaulted to social security department,' he claimed.

Contesting the department claims, the factory owners claim that closing 50% units was not their fault as they were compelled to do this due to increasing cost of doing business.

They were also critical of policies and efficiency of the social security department as they claimed to pay a huge amount as contribution for welfare of their workers and demanded fair functioning of the department.

'It is worrisome that 50% units had to be closed down leaving thousands of workers jobless with remaining units working at 40% capacity,' said President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Dr Khurram Tariq.

'Scores of factory workers await facilities like educational scholarship, death and marriage grants since 2019 despite contribution by the employers,' Dr Khurram claimed. 'Therefore, the social security department and workers' welfare fund must step forward to resolve this issue.'

The directorates of social security are working in all major cities of the Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Multan, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffar Garh, Bahawal Pur, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan, Gujranwala and Gujrat.

Any factory worker...