INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-PAKISTAN:

PUT MORE PRESSURE ON UNILEVER:

The following story and appeal is from the international union federation the IUF. It's about a subject that has been mentioned here before ie the continued practice on the part of the multinational Unilever of reducing their employees to casual labour with all that that implies in terms of work conditions and remuneration. It's also about Unilever, despite its protestations of "ethics", punishing those workers who dare to speak up. Help these brave workers. Respond to the following call for solidarity.

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Working at Lipton Casual-T Episode II: Unilever Pakistan Punishes Rights Activists:

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"Our People Vitality programme aims to enhance the personal well-being and effectiveness of our people, through advice on exercise, nutrition and mental resilience. During 2008 the programme was rolled out to our operations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The programme is already showing positive results. Participants have reported improvements in their quality of sleep, energy levels, motivation and work performance."
"Sustainability" at www.unilever.com

So who needs rights when you can have People Vitality?

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.

Nadeem Shakeel, Khanewal worker, earning less than USD 3 daily with no guarantee of work under the "no work, no pay" system of casual employment at Lipton Pakistan "

“I was a data entry operator paid a daily rate of Rs.250 per day. But after I helped organize the action committee and started talking about our rights I was demoted to the job of machine operator. But I’m paid the minimum wage for an unskilled worker – just Rs.232. I’m a data entry operator working with computers. But Unilever says I’m unskilled just because I spoke out about our rights.”
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.
www.casualtea.org

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THE LETTER:

Please go to the link above to send the following letter to Unilever management.

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To Mr. Paul Polman, CEO Unilever
Your website claims to recognize 'issues' in the disposable jobs regime in the Khanewal Lipton factory which limits direct employment to a mere 22 employees - and claims to be addressing them. It goes on to claim that you are willing to 'seek mediation' at the OECD. In fact it is the IUF which approached the OECD. Unilever's response has been to collectively punish workers seeking their rights. While new casual workers are being employed at the same disposable jobs, Unilever management has been systematically denying work to members of the Action Committee, driving them deeper into poverty and debt. Employment discrimination must stop now! Make the Khanewal casual workers permanent through direct negotiations with the National Federation of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Workers of Pakistan!
Yours sincerely,