OVER the last four decades or so, at least three labour commissions were formed to consolidate and simplify labour laws. However, the suggestions they made and the draft legislation they proposed were not even considered for putting up before parliament.

There are some 190 labour enactments and rules made thereunder, with different definitions of ‘worker’, ‘employer’ and ‘establishment’. Besides, the laws and rules have outdated provisions. For instance, there is the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, and three Rules of 1937, 1938 and 1960. Then there are the Minimum Wages Ordinance, 1961, the Rules of 1962 and the West Pakistan Minimum Wages for Unskilled Workers Ordinance, 1969.

Labour laws should be simple, especially for those ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. The Sindh government, in collaboration with the ILO, has prepared and circulated the Sindh Labour Code, 2024, among employers and workers’ bodies. The SLC is purported to have consolidated 20 labour laws, inclusive of legislation such as the Industrial & Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance; Factories Act; Industrial Relations Act; Shops & Establishments Act, etc.

Separate meetings organised by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan........

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