Arsalan Haider

The janitorial staff of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) staged a demonstration against a delay in promised payments in connection with Easter at the university premises on Saturday , demanding the administration come good on its promise of payments. A number of students also joined the LUMS janitorial staff protest to express solidarity .

Several Twitter users shared images of LUMS janitorial staff during a sit-in at the varsity premises, demanding the administration resolve the issue at the earliest. The staff lodged the protests because they were promised an award of Rs 5,000 before Easter, but were only paid Rs 2,000.

Protest happening at LUMS in support of fair working conditions for the janitorial staff. Students and workers in negotiations with the administration to meet short and long-term demands. More power to them. Wish I were there to support. #PayLumsWorkers pic.twitter.com/qxvzfJMD4y — Nida Kirmani (@nidkirm) April 20, 2019

Shafaq, a Twitter user, shared pictures of protesting staff and said, ‘Friends in #LUMS, the MBM staff is protesting against the delay of their payments. They’ve been given an advance of 2k instead of the usual 5k they get before Easter. Rest of the payment for 20 days will be given to them on Monday, one day AFTER Easter.’

Friends in #LUMS, the MBM staff is protesting against the delay of their payments.

They’ve been given an advance of 2k instead of the usual 5k they get before Easter. Rest of the payment for 20 days will be given to them on Monday, one day AFTER Easter. Join to show solidarity pic.twitter.com/BFA4Y8d3Hh — Shafaq Sohail (@sohail_shafaq) April 20, 2019

She later on also shared a Charter of Demand from the employees which demanded the payment of Rs 10,000 which was the salary of the staff until that day. They also demanded the release of withheld payments of some of the workers who hadn’t paid their previous monthly salaries. As per charter of demand, the workers demanded reimbursement of salary deducted unfairly under the pretext of “wage cuts”.

Charter of demands of the MBM staff at #LUMS pic.twitter.com/LLkqAZPyD9 — Shafaq Sohail (@sohail_shafaq) April 20, 2019

Other demands of the charter included permanent employment status of MBM workers, a development of Labour Code according to Pakistani and international laws and vacations for lower staff on important days including Pakistan Day, Labour Day, Defence Day etc.

Every single year students come together to discuss how janitorial staff at lums are treated. Delayed wages. Eating lunches on bathroom floors. No place to sit/rest. Religious holidays never properly observed. These issues are never resolved. #PayLumsWorkers — فاطمہ (@khayalibiryani) April 20, 2019

The protest ended late on Saturday evening after LUMS was forced to pay the Rs 10,000 in payments due as demanded by the staff members.