KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)) advised its SME members to look after the labourers well and also make working conditions conducive for their employees who are the backbone of their units and play an important role in the success of any unit at a May Day rally at a local club, says a Press release.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said the workers must also realize their duties to give best production and be disciplined and maintain the bench mark of production as per policy of the employers.
Thaver said fair wages and benefits to workers are a right of the workers and under no circumstances a worker can be deprived of fair wages besides the regular employees even the contractual employees have their rights and the entrepreneurs must shoulder responsibilities.
He advised the SMEs to provide medical facilities and proper work environment and other benefits to their work force and above all recognize the dignity of labour and respect them and reward them for their hard work with bonuses. Thaver insisted that the workers be paid the minimum wages and overtime as per law and warned the officials not to overlook and neglect action against those units not complying with labour laws and factories act.
He said it is very painful to learn that some units are employing workers below the minimum wage and obtaining their receipts on full amounts. This is very shameful and UNISAME condemns this malpractice. Thaver condemned child labour and pleaded with all SMEs to immediately remove all child labour from their units. He urged the government to increase the minimum wages in ratio to the inflation and appoint a joint committee to fix the minimum wages on the basis of cost of living and fairness.
He emphasized the need to treat the work force well and appreciated the role of the philanthropists and the business community who he said without doubt are concerned about their employees and providing them lunch free or at subsidized rates or on at cost basis prepared in their own canteens.
He urged the factory owners to facilitate their workers with uniforms, food, medical facilities and retirement benefits and educational allowance for their children. Secondly he called upon all the big enterprises to arrange training programmes at all levels under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds for their employees.