Even before we start to really feel the heat of the Coronavirus on the economy, certain companies are going ahead with downsizing and layoffs. Word is that the NGO ‘The Citizens Archive of Pakistan‘ is among the list of organizations who fired people.
Despite the fact that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan directed companies not to fire any employees amid the lockdown, some didn’t pay any mind to authority.
Initially, there was news that clothing brands Generation and Limelight had fired employees over having to close down amid the lockdown. Later Generation brushed off the allegations.
Workers in Limelight & Generation were told they will be fired on 1st April. Workers' financial situation is already DIRE!
Firing workers during crisis is shameful. Punjab govt must ensure job security & #BasicIncomeNOW or we will face riots in midst of #CoronavirusPandemic.
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) March 21, 2020
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Generation directly responded to criticism from activist Zoya Rehman. However, the brand did not clarify if the workers had been given paid leave or not.
https://twitter.com/GENERATION_PK/status/1241380881698369542
Another case
Meanwhile activist of the left-wing Haqooq-e-Khalq Movement (HKM) Ammar Ali Jan is working with citizens’ inspection teams bringing up other cases of workers’ rights violations by firing employees due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Now similar allegations have surfaced against Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s Not-for-Profit organization ‘The Citizens Archive of Pakistan‘. Are these allegations true or is this another baseless rumor?
Another organization has FIRED its workers during Corona lockdown. The organization is run by none other than the Oscar-winning Sharmin Obaid-Chinoy. This firing took place without a termination letter or month's notice.
Immediate action is needed to safeguard workers rights. https://t.co/rbLMiPxTvL
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) March 29, 2020
According to the Twitter thread of the organization’s employee, the Citizens Archive of Pakistan fired employees with no notice or monetary compensation. The now-former employee pointed out how this was also a violation of their service contracts with the organization.
Our contracts give us the right to have a written termination letter and a month’s notice and salary. But we were fired with immediate effect. And this organisation is being run by someone who grabs Oscars for making films about the most vulnerable people of our social order.
— Raza Gillani ☭ (@Raza_Shabina) March 29, 2020
It was also pointed out that since many employees work remotely work and funding were not affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.
We were said that the govt had stopped funding. This is nonsense because the govt only funds one project (National History Museum). Some of were working on other funded projects, which are still being funded, because we had been working remotely. Where is that money going?
— Raza Gillani ☭ (@Raza_Shabina) March 29, 2020
Following this, netizens reached out to their collaborators.
Shame on @citizensarchive for firing its workers. Here's a list of some of their 'friends'. One hopes these organisations would discontinue their support for the citizen's archive of Pakistan until these workers have been restored. https://t.co/8uGhoSKvqF pic.twitter.com/YcidNrTY3q
— Ali Usman Qasmi (@AU_Qasmi) March 29, 2020
Whether this move was motivated by the predicted economic recession due to the outbreak was questioned.
If downsizing had become so important, why weren’t the directors and those who actually take a hefty salary fired? Why is it always the most vulnerable employees who are considered a liability at the time of a crisis, if saving money is so important to sustain the organisation?
— Raza Gillani ☭ (@Raza_Shabina) March 29, 2020
Twitter heavily criticized the body and called out their privilege.
The wealth amongst the ppl listed on the @citizensarchive
website as 'leadership' is truly unimaginable for most (https://t.co/ztdEKzfUbe) This is what the obscenely privileged do when the country is in crisis. Let ppl starve, kick ppl out, build higher walls. https://t.co/IlYhDltbBa— zahra malkani (@zmlkn) March 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/hamzamalik_89/status/1244321130065940481
.@citizensarchive positions itself as a cultural and progressive asset to this country. This is completely unacceptable behaviour. https://t.co/kVmtdlqZVm
— Amna Chaudhry (@amnachaudhry03) March 29, 2020
Our young graduates are at the mercy of rich pigs who rob them off their future & energies. Contractual labor is such a cruel, inhuman system, that places profit over compassion & empathy. Full solidarity with Raza & other employees who are fired by @citizensarchive. Shame on you https://t.co/2pB0F23HQa
— Zaighum Abbas (@harf_e_nagufta) March 29, 2020
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The need to protect workers white-collar or wage workers was emphasized. Even filmmaker Jami Azad pointed out how this would be criminal in Sindh with the legal action taken amid the Coronavirus lockdown. Punjab should take notes.
This is what these "humanitarian, liberal" @citizensarchive & such organisations are doing, to their graduated, well read workers
Now imagine what would have happened, is happening to the millions of daily wagers, factory workers, etc. and their families
(A thread) https://t.co/l3zQSQuit3
— Mohsin Abdali (@MohsinAbdali4) March 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/hizbeikhtelaf/status/1244334724706861058
https://twitter.com/azadjami1/status/1244332283781316608
Illegal in Sindh but not in Punjab
— Muhammad Shoaib Abbasi (@shobi921) March 29, 2020
Vulnerable employees at @citizensarchive bear brunt of #Corona lockdown by getting fired. Highly condemnable. Notice issued after this tweet, but they mustn’t be fired in volatile times when alternate employment isn’t possible. Sindh made laying off illegal, others should follow. https://t.co/RvCevinS3t
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) March 29, 2020
People even brought up how this incident will affect the organization’s reputation even after the pandemic.
Shameful @citizensarchive
We will remember this. https://t.co/pzfmKCq7U1— 🐙 (@bebesbreath1) March 29, 2020
Took one month into a global crisis to uncover the exploitative and unethical nature of this organization. Having worked at @citizensarchive for over two years, it comes as no surprise that in times of need they turned on their own in the worst possible way. https://t.co/ua29BR3MC7
— Meher Mehtab (@MeherMehtab) March 29, 2020
This is so sad to read! What's happening @citizensarchive and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy! https://t.co/fCnxR6iKhR
— Shehzil Malik (@shehzilm) March 29, 2020
CAP Responds
Following the allegations, CAP has answered allegations of not paying its employees as per the law.
The organization relies on the support of donors during the best of times, and it says that the current economic climate has made things difficult than before to maintain their payroll.
You can read their detailed response below.
Statement Board of Governors pic.twitter.com/DFMGDJgIHa
— The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (@citizensarchive) March 30, 2020
As unfortunate as this seems, this is but a precursor to the tough and uncertain times we are currently undergoing right now.
