PROGRAMS AT PILER
At the time when PILER was founded in 1982, it had a simple organizational structure and informal work procedures. It was about six years later in 1988, when PILER established a formally designed research and training program with regular publications, workshops courses and advocacy activities.

At present there are two programs functioning at PILER. Primarily the Research, Education and Training (RET) and supporting this main function is the Advocacy and Networking (A&N) program.

Research, Education and Training (RET)
The RET program is central in the strategy to both emphasize knowledge for power and expand the power of knowledge in mobilisation and organization. PILER believes that informed discussions within the labour movements and between the labour activists and allies are necessary to attain and exercise power for two purposes: resistance to oppression and exploitation and the promotion of social justice.

The program, therefore, focuses on the economics of social justice, nationally and globally, and hence emphasizes the inter-relationships between economy, society & politics as outcomes and processes, and as structures of power, institutions and organizations determining these outcomes & processes.

The program envisages educating workers on core labour rights, imparting better understanding of the factors impacting their life /lives. The themes include child labour, core labour rights, and gender-based discrimination against women, bonded labour, workers in the informal sector, home-based workers and peace & solidarity among others. Its range of publications includes research papers, news letters, reports and articles to pamphlets, monographs and policy proposals for the government.

Materials such as policy notes, advocacy campaign notes and discussion papers are produced for reflection and debate in the academic-activists’ circle. For purpose of dissemination, relevant material is also distributed at national, regional and international workshops, seminars and conferences.

Advocacy and Networking (A&N)
The basic objective of A&N is to run advocacy campaigns around labour rights by facilitating local grass-root level organizations and building national, regional and inter-national alliances and networks. Since late 1990s, PILER is mobilizing workers’ organizations and groups in different sectors (fisheries, garments and textiles, construction, transport, brick kiln, food and allied industries) to form the sector-wise networks to lobby for issues with collective action, strength and dynamism.

The overall goal is to sensitize motivate and facilitate workers to organize themselves, strengthen their unions and forge networks and alliances for collective struggle. PILER is a member of numerous state-established consultative mechanisms. Click here for details.

Currently the two programs together are executing the following projects: