Harmony Foundation has started the Sewer Men Rights campaign in Faisalabad. The issues identified after the consultation with the Sewer Men and the WASA Employees Union Faisalabad are following:

1.   Provision of Safety Tools
2.   Compensation or job for the victims of accident
3.   Bonus Salary for the sewer men
4.   Hardship Allowance

Following activities were undertaken during the year 2009.

1. Meeting with WASA Officials:

Total six meeting s were conducted with the WASA Officials along with the lawyers,
Journalists and human rights activities long with the union leaders to identify the issue of the sewer men and the union. The WASA Director Operation and Maintenance, Deputy Director (Revenue), President People Labor Union, Sanitary Inspectors and civil society representative along with the HF Staff were the participants of these meetings. In the meeting, the following issues were identified with the mutual consultation:

• Provision of Safety Tools to the workers
• Salary and permanent job of the daily wage workers in WASA
• Hardship Allowance for the workers

General Discussions of the meetings:

• Daily wagers issues
• A news report presented to Director WASA about the machinery that can be used for the sewerage work but it is out of order and is not being repaired.
• HF Team presented the demands of the sewer men regarding the provision of safety tools.
• It was suggested that there should be dialogue of the WASA Officials, union leaders and civil society representatives regarding the improvement of the sewerage system in the city.
• According to WASA Officials, consumers do not pay the WASA Bills regularly and only 24% are paying the bills.
• A summary of providing the hardship allowance to the sewer men was prepared and sent for approval.

Outcome of the meetings:

1. Safety belts have been to the sewer men in Faisalabad East and West Zone.
2. All the WASA daily wage workers have taken on contract basis.
3. A Fully equipped Ambulance along with one MBBS Doctor is present at work place of sewer men.
4. Summary about the providing of the hardship allowance to the sewer men has been sent for approval and one meeting of the high official have made.

2. Daily wagers Sewer Men Convention:

A daily wagers sewer men convention was held to mobilize the sewer men for the issue of giving them permanent jobs. The purpose of the convention was to highlight the long-standing issue of the permanent jobs of the daily wagers. More then 250 people including daily wagers attended the convention. The convention played a good role to strength the struggle of daily wagers sewer men into contract base job. Now all the WASA wage workers have contract base job.

3. Monitoring of the use of safety tools:

A Committee was formed by the HF with the consultation of Union Leaders to monitor the provision of safety tools for the sewer men at work place. During the project period total six monitoring visits were paid and it was found that the safety tools were present at the work place of the sewer men. It is also worth mentioning that not only the safety tools are present at the workplace but also a fully equipped Ambulance along with MBBS Doctor is present for any emergency situation.

4. Dialogue on the issue, “How the sewerage system can be improved in           Faisalabad”?

A dialogue was held on the issue, “how the sewerage system can be improved in Faisalabad”? The WASA Officials, Sewer Men and Civil Society representative participated in the Dialogue. The aim of this dialogue was to highlight the problems and issues of sewerage system and get suggestions for its improvement. The Sewer Men, WASA Officials and general public shared problems at their own side and fully participated to resolve the issues. The interaction level increased among the general public, WASA Officials and sewer men.

OVERALL OUTCOMES:

• The sewer men got education about their working rights at work place.
• The awareness level increased among the workers and especially among the sewer men and more clarity came now they are vocal to present their issues.
• Safety belts have been provided to the sewer men in Faisalabad East and West zone.
• All the sewer men daily wage workers have taken on contract basis.
• Fully equipped Ambulance along with one MBBS Doctor is present at the work place of sewer men.
• Summary about the providing of the hardship allowance to the sewer men has been sent for approval and one meeting of the high official has made in this regard.
• The dialogue and sewer men convention provided a platform to understand problems and issues of sewer men among the general public.
• The interaction level of sewer men, WASA Official and general public increased.