IUF
Uniting Food, Farm and Hotel Workers World-Wide
Working at Lipton Casual-T Episode I: Unilever Pakistan Punishes Rights Activists
Posted to the IUF website 20-Jul-2009Share this article.
We will recruit, employ and promote employees on the sole basis of the qualifications and abilities needed for the work to be performed.
Unilever Code of Business Principles
As one of the world's greatest consumer goods companies, we offer people with talent, passion and integrity some of the world's greatest careers.
Unilever Pakistan website
Unless, of course, we don't employ them at all, but subcontract that task to a labour contractor...
Since the Lipton Khanewal workers formed their Action Committee to fight for their rights, members have been denied work, demoted and pushed into even deeper poverty in an attempt to break their resistance. At the same time, some 100 new contract workers - with no experience, skills, or seniority (over 20% of the workforce) have been taken on in the midst of what the company contends is a production downturn� but is clearly a show of force to weaken the Action Committee and the IUF.
Irfan Hayat - Khanewal worker, designated 'Safety Champion' & Action Committee Member
"When we started this struggle for the right to permanent jobs and formed the action committee of contract workers, I was a �Safety Champion� �a safety officer under the KAIZEN [a Japanese total quality management program] productivity programme. I was trained in 2003 and my job was to prevent accidents and find hazards in the factory as part of KAIZEN. I was paid a daily wage rate of 240 Rupees (USD 2.90) plus additional 4 hours� pay like overtime, but not like the permanent workers. I was earning 8,000 to 8,500 Rupees (USD 97 to 103) - each month. But the Unilever Khanewal factory Works Manager and Human Resources manager were angry about our Action Committee and our demand for permanent jobs. They told me to withdraw my legal case. I refused. So they demoted me. I�m a machine operator now on Rs.232, which is the minimum wage of an unskilled worker."
STOP DISCRIMINATION AND REPRISALS AGAINST THE KHANEWAL ACTION COMMITTEE WORKERS - CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE TO UNILEVER!
Tell corporate management to stop retaliating and start negotiating!. The Lipton Khanewal casual workers fighting for justice through their Action Committee must be given permanent, direct employment status.