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Pakistan Bank Insurance Finance Employees Federation [PBIFEF] the long standing UNI affiliate in Pakistan initiated an organizing drive in January 2014 to bring all banking and insurance industry trade unions under one apex federation. So far, the responses from the finance industry unions for the initiative have been positive.  

Trade union leaders representing employees in Agriculture Development Bank (Zarai Taraqiati Bank ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (Central Bank), Allied Bank, Habib Bank, Bank of Punjab expressed their interest to join in the federation and strengthen the finance industry trade unions in Pakistan at a focus group meeting organized by UNI Apro in Islamabad. The meeting was organized in conjunction with the UNI Apro/FES national network meeting on “Multi Stake Holder Collaborative Approach for Bridging implementation gaps in International Labour Standards and Decent Work Agenda” held on 6-7 September 2014 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The meeting was facilitated by Pav Akhtar, UNI Global Director for Professionals & Managers and Jayasri Priyalal Regional Director for UNI Apro Professionals & Managers highlighting on the importance of compliance on international labour standards and enumerating the UNI P&M priorities to meet the challenges in the New World of Work.Engineers and Professional Managers from Bank, Insurance, Media and Telecom industries joined the meeting and shared their experiences.

Trade union officials representing Officers, Executives from Habib Bank, State Life Insurance Corporation in Pakistan and Engineers of the Pakistan Television supported the UNI Apro initiative to consolidate the trade unions in Pakistan and assured their commitments to support organizing of private sector banks, insurance and media institutions enabling employees to form trade unions to secure decent work.

Representatives from private banks, UBL, SAMBA, Bank Alfalah, Mezan Bank and EFU insurance joined the finance industry focus group meeting. UNI Apro Director Jayasri Priyalal paid a courtesy visit to ZTBL union office in Islamabad.