Industrial Relations Bill enacted to protect labour rights

President Asif Ali Zardari, as advised by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, has assented to and signed the Industrial Relations Bill, 2012, which has now been enacted as a law.
The enactment of Industrial Relations Bill is a landmark achievement of the democratic government, a statement from the PM House said.
The protection of the rights of labour was part of the Pakistan Peoples Party manifesto in accordance with the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. The present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has always endeavoured to ensure a balance between the employer and the employees and this Bill will promote harmony amongst them besides protecting the rights of labour community. The Industrial Relations Bill, 2012 originated in the Senate \and was passed by it on March 7. The National Assembly also passed the Bill on March 14 without any amendment.
The Bill seeks to consolidate and rationalize the law in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and in the trans-provincial level, relating to formation of trade unions, federations of trade unions, determining the collective bargaining agents, regulation of relations between employers and workers, the avoidance and settlement of any differences or disputes arising between them or matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto.
According to the Bill, the Federal Government would constitute a National Industrial Relations Commission which will adjudicate and determine an industrial dispute in the Islamabad Capital Territory in which a trade union or a federation of such trade unions is a party and which is not confined to matters of purely local nature and any other industrial dispute which is, in the opinion of the government, of national importance and is referred to it by the government.
Before the Bill, the ICT was facing a gap in terms of registration of trade unions and regulation of industrial relations as well as matters relating to offices, factories or firms falling in more than one province.
After the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment, the subject of labour was transferred to the provinces who have promulgated their own industrial relations laws. The promulgation of Industrial Relations Bill will, however, not disturb provincial laws presently in place. The Industrial Relations Bill shall not be applicable to Police; Defence Services or installations connected with administration of state other than those employed as workmen; on the members of the security staff of PIA or drawing wages in Pay Group not lower than Group V; and at Pakistan Security Printing Corporation or the Security Papers Ltd and by an establishment or institution for the treatment or care of sick, infirm, destitute or mentally unfit person excluding those being run on commercial basis.