World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions [WFTU] Trade Union International Public Services and Allied [TUI PS & A] representing more than 30 million members in the public service, take this opportunity to pledge our unwavering solidarity and support to thousands of teachers’ demands in Pakistan represented by the “Pakistan Teachers Federation (PTF)”. Teachers are protesting against the refusal by government for teachers to draw the House Rent Allowance as was agreed by government and associations in 2017. Teachers like other public service workers have rights to decent housing and shelter. It is these teachers and other workers in schools and education institutions that have made sure that learning and teaching continued in our schools during this devastating COVID-19 Pandemic, in most instances working without adequate PPEs. We fully support the struggles waged by workers in Pakistan in the Education system. Teachers in Pakistan are denied the rights to form unions as a result these workers are being denied their universal rights to among others, rights to strike and collective bargaining. We condemn these neo-liberal policies of the Pakistan government which are old and outdated and belong to the dust bins. We view this as a serious contravention of the ILO conventions. These demands have also exposed the long suffering and neglect of teachers by government where teachers can only afford to rent and not able to afford to buy proper housing for their families. WFTU-TUI-PS&A therefore demand that the government of Pakistan listen to the demands of Teachers and implement the 2017 wage agreement signed with teachers. We call upon all our members around the world in particular in our Asia Pacific Region to pledge solidarity with all the teacher and education workers in Pakistan so that the government can respond positively to their demands. Issued by Zola Saphetha General Secretary TUI-PS&A For media enquiries: Clever Banganayi (Information & Publicity officer +27721426625), clever@nehawu.org.za
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WFTU TRADE UNION INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE & ALLIED, SOLIDARITY STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF TEACHERS DEMANDS IN PAKISTAN.