Effect given to the recommendations of the committee and the Governing Body - Report No 355, November 2009

Case No 2096 (Pakistan) - Complaint date: 06-AUG-00 - Follow-up

Effect given to the recommendations of the Committee and the Governing Body

1. 103. The Committee last examined this case at its March 2009 meeting [see 353rd Report, paras 165–169]. On that occasion, it requested the Government to provide a copy of the High Court judgement which held that section 27-B of the Banking Companies Act had precedence over the provisions of the 2002 Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO). With regard to the allegations of anti-union dismissals at the United Bank Limited (UBL), the Committee noted the Government’s indication that an independent inquiry revealed that none of the ex-employees had been dismissed for anti-union motives and requested the Government to provide a copy of the report of the inquiry, as well as to specify the members of the inquiry and whether the trade union (UBL employees’ trade union), the members of which have been dismissed, was appropriately consulted. Finally, the Committee noted that the State Bank of Pakistan was still working on the draft Banking Law and expressed the expectation that this process would be soon finalized, and that the new legislation would ensure that trade unions can carry out their activities in full freedom as well as the right to collective bargaining, and drew the legislative aspect of this case to the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.
2. 104. In a communication of 16 April 2009, the Government indicates that a bill to repeal section 27-B of the Banking Companies Act had been moved to the Senate.
3. 105. While noting with interest the Government’s statement concerning the amendment of the Banking Companies Act, the Committee regrets that the Government has failed to submit its comments with respect to the other outstanding issues. It once again requests the Government to provide a copy of the report of the inquiry which revealed that none of the ex-employees of the UBL had been dismissed for anti-union motives, as well as to specify the members of the inquiry and indicate whether the UBL employees’ trade union, whose members had been dismissed, was appropriately consulted.