KARACHI
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan has fired 300 employees working on retainership after they staged a month-long protest at Karachi and other airports demanding permanent employment.
The employees were dismissed on the directives of Director General Civil Aviation and were working in CAA’s Janitorial Department. A notification of termination was also issued after DG’s directives on Friday.
The retainership employees, working temporary jobs, at CAA had been staging protests and sit-ins for not being made permanent and non-reinstatement. The protesters said that about 2,600 workers were employed on a retainership basis while 400 had been sacked, demanding the authorities for permanent employment during the protest.
The protests have entered the 15th day. Meanwhile, the CAA had said that the new employees hired under the Service Level Agreement would be made permanent. A special committee of the National Assembly had also directed the CAA administration to abolish the contractual system.
The demonstrations were held at Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta and Multan airports where female employees were also present. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari had also been a part of the protest.
Aseefa listened to the problems being faced by the workers. She expressed solidarity and promised her full support to their workers’ cause, saying the PPP would play its role in the reinstatement and make their employment permanent.
