The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) is an international solidarity campaign for Pakistani workers.

History

In 1995, Arif Shah, a leading trade union leader, was assassinated. Following his assassination, the Punjab Labour Federation, the United Labour Federation, the Progressive Workers Alliance, the Railway Workers Union, and the National Union of Postal Employees jointly launched the PTUDC.

Work

The PTUDC declares its views and aims in response to the need for working-class military in Pakistan. It is against privatization and proposes the complete nationalization of industry, in order to put it under the democratic control of workers. Two of its members were arrested while distributing leaflets to oppose privatization in Karachi. It is working to ensure safe working conditions and to demand better facilities for workers. It holds various events to publicize worker struggle. In 2005, Pakistani Kashmir was hit by an earthquake. PTUDC had set up relief camps and demanded a hefty tax to be imposed on all capitalists so that money could be generated for rehabilitation. PTUDC established affiliated support groups in Europe, the USA and Canada.

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the pol ...

attended its solidarity meeting in London. In May 2018 PTUDC, along with 16 other progressive organisations, established the Lahore Left Front. The Lahore Left Front hosted the

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM; ps, پښتون ژغورنې غورځنګ ''Paṣtūn Zhghōrənē Ghōrźang''; ur, , lit=Pashtun Protection Movement) is a social movement for Pashtun human rights based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochist ...

public meeting at Lahore on 22 April 2018.

Platform

Its platform is as follows: * Defence of trade unions from physical attacks of employers * Defence of the

right to organize Freedom of association encompasses both an individual's right to join or leave groups voluntarily, the right of the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of its members, and the right of an association to accept or decline memb ...

* Stop the privatization of state industries; re-nationalize those privatized firms under workers’ control * The establishment of a minimum living wage for all, linked to the cost of living * The abolition of child labour * Free education and healthcare

Publications

Monthly journal ''Mazdoornama'' is the official organ of PTUDC.

References

Trade unions in Pakistan Labour movement in Pakistan Lists of organisations based in Pakistan {{Asia-trade-union-stub