We have just received the news that Chaudhary Munir Ahmed, a member of
the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign and younger brother of
Manzoor Ahmed, Member of Parliament and President of the PTUDC, has
been arrested together with some labour activists and leaders involved
in the PTUDC together with other lawyers. We need to raise as wide a
campaign as possible in their defence.
Both permanent and
temporary workers at Unilever in Pakistan have come under attack from the
bosses, who would like to change their status to contract workers, thereby
avoiding the payment of medical and other benefits. In defence of their jobs
and livelihoods the workers have launched a struggle and called for union
solidarity.
We often hear of the brutal conditions that workers have to suffer in
underdeveloped countries. Here we have an example of a famous multinational,
Unilever, which is making huge profits while paying starvation wages and using
draconian measures when the workers dare to protest. Send messages of protest
and let these workers know they are not alone.