Industrial Relations, Labour-Management News - Centre's Move to Enact Parallel Labour Laws Seen As Trespass

KARACHI -- Experts in labour affairs have expressed concern over a federal government's move to enact parallel laws on industrial relations to safeguard the rights of the employees and have a set of its own laws, reported on May 29. Labour law consultants and trade union activists referred to the draft of Industrial Relation Act, 2011 as a futile exercise. The federal government has got no jurisdiction and authority for making laws on labour matters after the 18th amendment in the constitution made in April, 2010, and the drafting and related exercises may be declared as trespassing on the jurisdiction of the provincial governments, said a senior legal consultant. It is said that the Concurrent List of the Constitution of Pakistan stood abolished after the 18th amendment and the Industrial Relation Act, 2008, in the light of its Section 87(3), automatically stood repealed on April 30, 2010.