Shah Faisal V. Nestle Pakistan (Unfair Labor Practice Case)
PLJ 2013 · Sindh High Court
This case was heard by the National Industrial Relations Commission in Karachi, involving an employee, Shah Faisal Baig Niazi, who worked at Nestle Pakistan. He claimed that although he was officially designated as an officer, he actually performed clerical work and should be treated as a "workman" under labour law. He alleged that the company harassed him because of his efforts for workers' welfare, eventually suspending him verbally and later issuing a show-cause notice accusing him of misappropriating company cash, followed by a disciplinary inquiry. He filed a petition claiming this was an unfair labour practice and sought protection from dismissal.
Nestle responded that the employee was hired in a management role, earned a salary well above worker-level pay, and did not qualify as a "workman." They also pointed out he had a history of misconduct, including a prior confession to inappropriate behavior at work, and had admitted in writing to misappropriating Rs. 103,000, which he later repaid. The company argued this was a legitimate disciplinary matter, not an unfair labour practice.
The Commission agreed with Nestle. It found no actual evidence of unfair labour practice, noted the employee had admitted to misusing company funds, and ruled that issuing a show-cause notice and starting a disciplinary inquiry are normal management actions, not unfair labour practices. The petition was dismissed.
This case matters because it clarifies that legitimate disciplinary action by employers cannot be blocked simply by labeling it an unfair labour practice, especially when there's no real
یہ مقدمہ نیشنل انڈسٹریل ریلیشنز کمیشن کراچی میں زیرِ سماعت آیا، جس میں ملازم شاہ فیصل بیگ نیازی شامل تھے جو نیسلے پاکستان میں ملازمت کرتے تھے۔ ان کا موقف تھا کہ اگرچہ انہیں باضابطہ طور پر افسر کا عہدہ دیا گیا تھا، مگر درحقیقت وہ کلرکی نوعیت کا کام انجام دیتے تھے، اس لیے انہیں لیبر قانون کے تحت "ورکمین" تصور کیا جانا چاہیے۔ ان کا الزام تھا کہ کمپنی نے مزدوروں کی فلاح و بہبود کے لیے ان کی کوششوں کی بنا پر انہیں ہراساں کیا، یہاں تک کہ زبانی طور پر معطل کر دیا اور بعد ازاں ایک شو کاز نوٹس جاری کیا جس میں ان پر کمپنی کی رقم میں خرد برد کا الزام لگایا گیا، اور پھر تادیبی تحقیقات کا آغاز کیا گیا۔ انہوں نے ایک درخواست دائر کی جس میں دعویٰ کیا گیا کہ یہ ناروا مزدور پالیسی (unfair labour practice) ہے اور برطرفی سے تحفظ طلب کیا۔
نیسلے کا جواب تھا کہ ملازم کو انتظامی (مینجمنٹ) کردار کے لیے بھرتی کیا گیا تھا، اس کی تنخواہ عام