A protest demonstration of Haris on Saturday demanded that the Sindh Industrial Relations Act 2013 should be implemented in its letter and spirit and local labour laws should also be implemented.
Addressing a big protest demonstration in front of the Hyderabad Press Club (HPC) arranged by the Sindh Agriculture General Workers Union affiliated with the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), the Hari leaders said that the SIRA 2013 was yet to be implemented despite the passage of three years, and hence this historic law was just a piece of paper.
They said that a tripartite dialogue should be started immediately to implement the labour rights of millions of agricultural workers of Sindh. Procurement of wheat at Rs 1,300 per maund should be ensured. The wheat procurement centers should be opened and Bardana be provided to Haris, they demanded.
A large number of Haris carrying posters, placards and banners attended the demo and raised slogans for their rights. They were led by Union General Secretary Lal Bux Lalan and Sabhagi Bheel.
Addressing on the occasion, the Hari leaders said the Haris of Sindh were deprived of their legal rights even in the 21st century. The Sindh government passed the Sindh Industrial Relations Act (SIRA2013) to implement the labour laws on the workers of agriculture and fisheries, but despite passage of three years no practical steps were taken in this regard. Due to this apathy of the rulers, no change could be brought in the lives of Haris and they were still deprived of registration with the social security institutions and other rights like pension, death grant, marriage grants and scholarships for their children which were their legal and constitutional rights. They said a mechanism should be developed to implement labour laws on agriculture workers. In the first phase, the government should get the Haris registered with the social security and pension institutions, they demanded.
The Hari leaders said there was no mechanism for pricing of not only wheat but also of sugarcane, cotton, rice and other commodities. “The prices are fixed by the nexus of mill owners, market mafia and commission agents at the cost of Haris and small growers. The current example in this regard is the procurement of wheat which is fixed at Rs 1,300 per maund but the commission agents are not giving the growers government-fixed rate. They are procuring wheat from them at Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,100 per maund. They also get two or three kilograms more from the growers on every maund of the commodity and there is no one to check them. The small growers and Haris are left on complete mercy of the market mafia and commission agents. In Sindh province, neither wheat procurement centers are opened nor bardana is provided to the growers. There is also no subsidy on seed, fertilizer and pesticides which is increasing miseries of the Haris. They asked that fixing of procurement rates of wheat, cotton, rice and other commodities at the sweet will of market mafia and commission agents should be stopped immediately.”
They demanded that the right of Haris for making their trade unions and collective bargaining agents should be secured, and tripartite dialogue should be started immediately to implement the labour rights on the agricultural workers. Haris should be registered with all social security institutions and they should be given pension, death and marriage grants, and educational scholarships for their children, they demanded.
“Procurement of wheat at Rs 1,300 per maund should be ensured and the monopoly of market mafia and middle men in setting prices should be ended. In whole Sindh wheat procurement centers should be opened on emergency basis and Bardana be provided to Haris. On the pattern of labour courts, Hari courts should be established in all districts. The loans of Haris should be written off and they should be given subsidy on seed, fertilizer and pesticides. Notice should be taken of the selling of adulterated seed and pesticides,” they demanded.
