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In 2007, nearly 300 workers at the Unilever factory in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, after struggling for years to feed themselves and their families on "temporary" contracts, sought permanent employment status and union membership. They were fired in the presence of armed policemen and Elite Troops - and instantly replaced with contract workers performing identical tasks. With the support of the IUF and the National Federation of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Workers, they formed an Action Committee to fight for full reinstatement as directly employed, permanent workers. Their fight for justice continues - and needs your support.
The Unilever workers in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan make some of the company's leading billion dollar "global brands", including Lux and Sunsilk products. These brands, according to Unilever, "are the pulse and heartbeat" of the people of Pakistan. Yet for decades, the company has paid them with the steady destruction of permanent, direct employment. At the plant today there are a small, steadily shrinking group of 145 permanent workers, and some 500 casual workers supplied by dozens of contractors.
Unilever's web site tells us that "The company operates through 4 regional offices, as well as 4 wholly owned and 6 third party manufacturing sites across Pakistan." Hugely profitable Unilever Pakistan claims to have thousands of employees, but the reality is that the company has only 314 employees on direct, permanent contracts in its entire country-wide operation. Unilever has been waging a relentless war on permanent employment, and now relies on a vicious system of disposable jobs - agency workers who can be sent home if there is no work, receive a poverty wage, and enjoy no pension or other benefits. Agency workers can't join a union of Unilever employees, because formally they are not employed by Unilever.
In 2007, a group of 292 "temporary" workers at the Rahim Yar Khan factory
challenged the system of disposable jobs. They demanded the right to
permanent, direct employment.
These temporary workers had been hired directly by Unilever on renewable 9-month contracts - and should have been made permanent after 9 months of continuous employment, according to Pakistan law. Most of them had worked at Rahim Yar Khan for years. The workers sought membership in the union which helped them fight for their legal right to permanent employment, including filing dozens of cases in the labour court
Unilever responded by militarizing the plant, filling it with armed police
and Elite Troops. The temporary workers were forced to sign their
termination letters in the presence of armed police. Within 24 hours, they
were replaced by agency contract workers.
Despite the severe difficulties and risks of fighting Unilever in a town it dominates, the dismissed temporary workers bravely continue their fight for justice. They are fighting for the rights and dignity of casual, abused precarious workers everywhere.
Support the Lux workers' struggle for justice and an end to disposable jobs - click here to send a message to Unilever:
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http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=6016&view_records=1&ww=1&en=1
With this message we would like to thank all of you who contributed in this success and declare end of the LUXurious profits campaign. At the same time we consider RYK a first step only on the path to socially responsible Unilever. The real victory will be to make Unilever to change situation at Lipton Khanewal factory, where for many months we see no progress in terms of permanent jobs, Unilever responds to our campaign by PR actions, punishment of Action committee members, reduction of even (!) casual workforce.
Please stay in touch and help us to further develop the campaign!
No to CasualT! Yes to Decent Work!
In 2007, nearly 300 workers at the Unilever factory in Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, after struggling for years to feed themselves and their families on "temporary" contracts, sought permanent employment status and union membership. They were fired in the presence of armed policemen and Elite Troops - and instantly replaced with contract workers performing identical tasks. With the support of the IUF and the National Federation of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Workers, they formed an Action Committee to fight for full reinstatement as directly employed, permanent workers with the right to join the union. Read more.
To support the Rahim Yar Khan Lux workers' fight for justice, the IUF filed a complaint with the OECD, whose Guidelines for transnational companies include adherence to ILO Conventions on the right of workers to organize trade unions and bargain collectively with employers. For a year-and-a-half, Unilever corporate management strongly resisted negotiating a solution to the conflict. Now that negotiations are at last supposed to be proceeding under auspices of the UK government, the company has taken to reshuffling the plant operations in order to thwart the negotiation process. Read more.
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