A worker’s perspective on ending privatisation in the public sector including PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills offers a sustainable alternative for protecting jobs, uplifting efficiency, and shielding a wealthy future.
The privatisation trend in Pakistan is on the rise, as the ongoing debate about the privatization of the Pakistan International Airline- PIA continues to make a headline. With plans to sell stakes in public sector institutions, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the Pakistan Steel Mills, utility companies, and health, education, and municipal services.
PIA is more than just an airline; it’s a national symbol and a vital part of Pakistan’s economic infrastructure.
It is crucial to consider the possible realistic solutions for economically sustainable PIA that remain in government ownership and remain loyal to its responsibility for the Nation and its workers.
The barriers to the potential privatisation can raise lots of concerns as regards the effects that it has on the workers, passengers and the entire economy.
Why Privatisation Is Not the Solution?
Privatisation resulted in the termination of employment in these eras, increased costs to the public and limited access of people to these institutions defeating their purpose. Public Services are aimed at helping everyone in the country, including the socially insecure and offering people an opportunity to obtain necessary services for a reasonable and affordable price.
When such services are privatized they become adopted to profitability, which is a recipe for the marginalization of the poor, compromise on job security, and loss of strategic national companies to the agenda of capitalistic-minded private entities.
For Pakistan, Besides protecting jobs for its own population the control over the public sector enterprises also sets free to the government of Pakistan to make strategic decisions related to the national interest. Here’s how a workers-centered approach can provide an antidote to privatisation in PIA and other public Services.
Creating a Public-Private Partnership-PPP for Working Together
A public-private partnership model allows Pakistan to retain ownership while bringing in private sector expertise to boost efficiency. For PIA and other public services, this approach can provide essential technical know-how, operational improvements, and capital without surrendering control.
For the benefit of sustainability, a PPP approach is important as it supports the government of Pakistan in maintaining ownership of the country’s core industries. Preserving these institutions in the public domain also guarantees Worker jobs and promotes a skilful and committed population.
It is in contrast to the full privatisation process that carefully commodified commonwealth, in this case, prioritises the public good, guaranteeing that these industries sustain the public, without losing sight of their social responsibility and efficiency for profit making.
Putting Workers and Unions at the Heart of Change and Operational Success
Workers in these institutions know the difficulties and need for change than anybody else does. Thus, by engaging workers and receiving their opinions on various management activities, we are likely to establish a more flexible and effective system for PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills and other departments. Another major aspect for consideration is working with unions, management and government in forming committees to ensure that everybody feels responsible and accountable.
The approach increases productivity much to a boundary because workers and unions understand best the ongoing processes, thus minimizing unnecessary risks and costs. It’s not just that involving unions in restructuring helps workers to have a real voice, which makes everyone more purposeful, loyal, and co-responsible for changes.
This inclusion not only enhances the worker’s morale but also enhances the relationship between the management and the workforce since they feel a very important component of the institution.
It strengthens unions and workers to participate in decision-making, which makes them take personal responsibility for using the available funds and assets more responsibly for the benefit of all those who have stakes within the team.
Continuing with privatization in the public sector of Pakistan including PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills is not simply an economic decision; it is the direct negation of the nation’s honor, social responsibility and rights of workers. A lot of appropriations have underestimated the powerless, ruined the secureness of occupations, and surrendered orignal resources to the aimless tender of benefit-cutting organizations.
The more sensible solution can be found in the mainstream – making use of the PPP model with outside help while maintaining the management of our priceless historical landmarks ourselves.This way public ownership enables Pakistan to make appropriate strategic decisions in its best interest, not following a script written by someone else for the economic as well as welfare benefit of the people.
Offering the opportunity to those workers as well as trade unions to express themselves in decision-making processes is one of the major sources of motivating the appropriate workforce so that they would accept personal responsibilities towards achieving operational objectives and goals.
Centralizing the workers in the change process enhances the ability to deliver on change goals and engenders responsibility, organisational commitment and collective vision for change. By ending privatization and by adopting new model focusing on the public interest Pakistan can sustain its strategic sectors, worker rights and universal access services importance for everyone.
In conclusion, the crusade against privatization is not only for jobs alone, but for a prosperous Pakistan with prosperity, people’s rights and unity of institutions and the mass.
