Mr Khalid Mahmood director Labour Education Foundation received the Award for International Solidarity for the Labour Education Foundation of Pakistan from MEP Zita GURMAI, Vice Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs for their work to empower the working class in view of protecting their social, economic and political rights, the Labour Education Foundation in Pakistan won the International Solidarity Award given by Solidar, a European network of NGOs dedicated to social justice and equality around the world.

Mr Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation was given the award at the SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards ceremony on 1 March 2011 in Brussels.

The foundation among other successful campaigns, tries to organize shipbreaking workers and get their voices heard.

In June and July 2010, the Labour Education Foundation got together with local unions to organize 15,000 ship breaking workers in Gadani, Pakistan to demand for improvements of their working conditions. They demanded that compensation be paid to families of dead and wounded ship breaking workers and that owners register the workers with social security institutes.

On July 5th 2010, 10,000 ship breaking workers demonstrated to protest against their working conditions.

The union leaders demanded for new hospitals to be built close to the yards, for an ambulance to be present on each yard, and for the enforcement of official safety measures. They also demanded for safe drinking water, canteens and union rights.

Later, the union formed by Gadani ship breaking workers was judged illegal by the court. None of the workers’ demands were addressed. The case is still in court and the Labour Education Foundation is fighting for the trade union to be deemed legal once again.

(Sourced from www.offthebeach.org)