The Sindh government has announced paid leave for all workers during the lockdown, and said no one would be laid off during the period.
The government issued a notification under Section 3 of the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act (2014) and other relevant labour laws, and directed that during the lockdown period no worker be laid off and all kinds of workers be paid salaries/remuneration/wages in full by their respective employers. The period of closure may be considered by the employers as paid leave.
Any person disobeying any direction or order “shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code as provided under Section 4 of the said Act as well as applicable Labour Laws,” the notification said.
Directors and joint directors of the Department of Labour and Human Resources are empowered under the said law to take any legal action on any contravention of this order or the directions/orders/notices issued. Leaders of the National Labour Council (NLC), a representative body of workers, had on March 17 demanded from the provincial government to constitute a task force to determine the financial losses to industries and companies and find solutions to ensure the rights of workers were protected.
The NLC leaders have welcomed the decision. “Issuance of the notification by the Sindh government is a welcome decision and this decision should be implemented strictly all over the province,” a statement jointly released by members of the NLC, including Karamat Ali, executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler), Habibuddin Junaidi of the Peoples Labour Bureau, Liaquat Sahi of the State Bank of Pakistan Labour Union, and Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation stated.
The NLC leaders said some industries had already been exempted from the lockdown, where the employers had arranged transport for the workers.
