Laid-off workers vow to continue blockade of Philip Morris plant

About 1,000 workers said to have been laid off by Philip Morris Pakistan are taking part in a demonstration outside the company’s warehouse at Ismaila, according to a report in The Nation and another in Right Vision News, which was relayed by the TMA.

The protestors are demanding reinstatement in light of the Peshawar High Court’s August 27 verdict in their favour.

The have vowed not to allow the re-opening of the warehouse until their demands are met.

PMP officials said that the demonstrators were not regular employees but were hired on a seasonal basis at its threshing unit.

The officials said the same policy of seasonal hiring had been used before PMP had acquired Lakson Tobacco Company.

After the acquisition, it said, the seasonal workers had formed the Muttahida Workers Union and demanded that the company regularize their jobs.

The workers said they went to resume their work after the High Court verdict, but that the company had refused to open its gate and called the police to prevent the workers from entering the building.