Brick Kiln Workers Demand Proper Implementation Of Existing Laws

Brick kiln workers complained low wages of their work that violating the minimum level of wages under Labour laws making it hard for them to meet both ends of their lives specially in Covid 19 pandemic

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Sep, 2020 ) :Brick kiln workers complained low wages of their work that violating the minimum level of wages under Labour laws making it hard for them to meet both ends of their lives specially in Covid 19 pandemic.

Talking to APP, the brick kiln worker Manzoor Hussain shared that they are facing severe challenges including lack of basic facilities, long working hours, leaves in emergency, medical facility and hazardous working conditions.

He added that bonded labor, harassment, child labor, exploitation and not paying minimum wages to employees were common.

A brick kiln worker named Nasreen Bibi said that "I don't even remember the exact year when I came here to work, my kids grew up here to work and now they are part of the same system".

She said that there are large number of women here who were facing plenty of challenges but continue their work to feed their families.

Munwar Sultana working in ILO said that brick kiln industry is actually run by businessmen and owners who don't register their kilns with labor department so that they don't have to provide social security and old-age benefits to the workers.

She said that their living condition is alarming, with lack of basic amenities throwing them in a vicious cycle of poverty.

She urged to proper implementation of existing laws towards the most neglected sector, while its workers are largely deprived of their legal rights and entitlements and forced to work in unhealthy and unsafe environments and demanded new laws for their protection and safety.

She said that there should be a regulatory body to resolve the issues of these workers.