As the world celebrates Labour Day with parades and speeches, Pakistan’s daily wage workers mark the day with the same routine — waiting for work, uncertain if they’ll earn enough to survive. For these labourers, May 1 is not a holiday. It’s just another day in the struggle to make ends meet.
Work Is Uncertain, But Survival Can’t Wait
“We wait for work every morning, praying something comes our way,” said one worker in Karachi. “Some days we get hired, other days we return home empty-handed after five or six days without a job.”
Despite the significance of Labour Day, many workers can’t afford to stop working. “Our children rely on us. A missed day means no food on the table,” another labourer said.
Wages Too Low, Expenses Too High
On average, a labourer earns between Rs1,500 and Rs1,800 daily. “We hope for Rs2,000, just to cover food and school fees,” said a man standing among hundreds of others waiting for work. But even those wages fall short as inflation eats into every rupee.
Many describe being exploited by employers. “They offer us Rs500 to Rs1,000 for jobs worth Rs2,000. When we reach the site, they double the workload. If we speak up, they refuse to pay us.”
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Lack of Protection and Growing Risks
With no job security or oversight, workers are often vulnerable to crime and mistreatment. “Yesterday, some men pretended to offer jobs and ended up robbing the workers,” one shared.
Another man, aged 52, reflected on decades of the same struggle. “Nothing has changed. The poor don’t matter. Every morning we leave home, unsure if we’ll eat that day.”
A Cry for Justice, Not Just Recognition
While governments honour workers on Labour Day, daily wage earners say true respect comes through action — fair wages, protection, and support.
“Only the employed celebrate this day. We’ll be here waiting. If there’s work, we’ll take it. If not, we just survive,” one said.
Their plea is simple and urgent: “End inflation. That’s the only way our suffering ends.”
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