- Workers' demands accepted by government.
- All prisoners released, and none victimised.
- Union leaders salute PTUDC international campaign.
We have just received the following report from Quetta, Baluchistan. It shows that the strikers of the public sector CSEA union, after a hard strike in which over 100 workers were arrested, have won an outstanding victory.
The strike of the CSEA workers ended today with total success. On Tuesday, November 27, the strike was called off by the union, after the provincial finance minister, Naeem Ahmad, announced the package in the general council of the CSEA. More than 1,000 workers attended the council meeting to witness the government's climb-down.
The demands which were accepted in the meeting were as follows:
1. 600 Rupees increase in utility allownce, plus 1,000 rupees increase for those workers employed after 1994 (these workers were not getting the earlier allowance)
2. Transport facilities for more workers. The Government will purchase two more buses for the workers (which will cost more than 1 million rupees).
3. BHU (special funds for workers) increased from 45,000 to 250,000 rupees.
4. Sports funds increased from 25,000 to 300,000.
5. The authorities have also accepted some demands regarding better working conditions and minor issues faced by the workers.
The only demands that was not accepted was a demand for a 40% special allowance for Quetta workers. Because the authorities said that this allowance was not only for CSEA workers but for all workers employed by the Government in Quetta.
This also needed the participation of others unions which were not involved in this strike. Now the Government is saying that until all the unions participate, they will not accept this demand.
The CSEA also passed a resolution of gratitude to the international campaign and all those who sent solidarity messages and supported their cause and demands.
So this strike ended with complete victory.
Nazar Baluch, Secretary General, CSEA
Abdul Khaliq Kakar, President, CSEA
Hameed Khan, Press Secretary, CSEA
They also specially thanked the international campaign organised by the PTUDC and comrades who organized the picket in front of the Pakistan High Commission in London.
See also the PTUDC website: www.ptudc.org