Women workers at PepsiCo Pakistan speak out: why we need the union the company refuses to recognize!
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- Published on Thursday, 30 March 2017 20:45
- Written by editor
Women workers at PepsiCo Pakistan tell why they want the union the company refuses to recognize
Women workers have been extremely active in the fight for union rights at PepsiCo's Lahore factory, demonstrating regularly to demand union recognition and permanent employment status. Yet they are invisible: the most recent factory inspection report, from March 2016, fails to even indicate their presence in the factory. The report, however, notes that of the more than 1500 workers employed at the factory over the past year, only 134 had permanent employment status!
The workers are determined to defend their union that was officially recognized and granted collective bargaining status in July. Union member Anwar Bibi explains why in these words:"I have been working at PepsiCo FritoLay Factory in Lahore for five years in the waste department under the no work, no pay system. I always arrived at the factory at 5:00 AM and if I am late only for few minutes I will not get the work because my position is already filled by another woman contract worker that arrived earlier than me. Together with the other women contract workers, we gather in front of the factory gate every day wondering if we can get work. If I don't get the job, I wasted my time and have to pay my transport back home. The company says this is not their problem - but then who is responsible for that?"
PepsiCo has responded to the workers' demand for rights and recognition by harassing and threatening union officers, pressuring workers to leave the union and creating a bogus union to usurp collective bargaining rights.
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