Farooq Tariq, Lahore

An indefinite national strike by bhatta (brick-kiln) workers began on April 18 and was marked by violence, kidnappings, arrests and torture of workers by the bosses and police all over Pakistan. More than 20 workers were injured on that day, several dozen arrested or disappeared and many more tortured, mainly by the owners of the brick-kiln factories.

The strike was called by the Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union (PBMU) against the non-implementation of the courts’ decisions to abolish the peshgi (advance) system. Under this system, bhatta workers are bonded and treated as slaves by the factory owners. The Supreme Court and the federal Shariat Court decided to abolish the peshgi system, yet the bosses have ignored the rulings. The strike also demanded a minimum of 500 rupees for making 1000 bricks, and government registration of all brick factories.

There are more than 1.8 million workers involved in the industry; most are not unionised. The PBMU was established in 2004 and has around 4000 members.

A complete strike was observed mainly in Punjab and the North West Frontier Province, but as news spread, more and more workers began calling the union office for help to launch strikes in their areas.

Public meetings were held on April 18 in Qasur, Rawalpindi and Wah. At Rawalpindi, more than 800 workers participated in the first ever public meeting of the PBMU, and a complete strike was observed in all 250 factories in the district.

The government invited union leaders to a discussion on April 20, at which the labour secretary assured the union that the government will take action against those brick-kiln owners who are deducting the peshgi from workers’ wages. The union responded by calling for a written rather than verbal agreement and for immediate action to arrest those bosses continuing to implement the peshgi system. “We want actions and not words, the strike will continue”, PBMU general secretary Mehmood Butt told media.

A subsequent meeting of the union decided to continue the strike for an indefinite period.

[Send solidarity messages to <farooqtariq@hotmail.com>.]

From Green Left Weekly, April 26, 2006.
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