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Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences
Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS) Vol. 31, No. 1 (June 2011), pp. 185-199

Unions and Management: A Case Study of Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation
Muhammad Shaukat Malik
Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan E-mail: shoukatmalik@bzu.edu.pk

A. B. Basit
Associate Professor of Economics, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

Ahmad Kamal Qazi
Assistant Manager-Marketing, PTCL, Multan Pakistan. E-mail: qazi_kamal@yahoo.com

Abstract
Unions basically seek to advance the interest of their members. As a principal goal, unions exert a strong influence on individuals, organizations and upon the government to advance the economic and social positions of their constituents. Union play significant role by adopting positions on such public issues as unemployment, job security, opportunity for advancement, tariffs, health care, wages, social security etc. They try to influence the decisions of not only the administration of individual organization but also the state legislatures to improve labor laws on variety of issues for welfare of their employees. In addition, unions by performing their fraternal goals provide a sense of belonging for employees to give them a sense of identification and purpose. This paper first traces the historical development of unions with particular references to Pakistan, highlight their merit and demerit, current position in public and private organizations and challenge they are facing at present. Second it examines the role of unions in Pakistan 's major institution like Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (PTCL). It is observed that over the time union is loosing their positions in the world as well as in Pakistan like in PTCL. After privatizations since 2006 the state of the affairs of unions at PTCL are very pathetic. Employees have lost all their hopes that the union will ever work for their well beings. Unions need to review themselves to be accepted


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