Garment workers strike on Oct 16
The New Nation, Bangladesh
Workers of the ready-made garment sector will observe strike all over the country on October 16 demanding their minimum wage of Tk 3,000, execution of Labour Act along with other accords and payment of all arrears, including festival bonus before the upcoming Eid.
National Alliance for Protection of Garment Workers and Industries, a combine of some 16 labour groups announced the programme at a roundtable on ‘Labour Act in Garment Industry: Proposal of Minimum Wage and Implementation’ at Shaheed Asad Auditorium in the city yesterday.
The labour leaders vehemently rejected the recommendations made by the Minimum Wage Board and vowed to take to the street to compel the owners to accept their minimum wage of Tk 3,000.
Taking part in the discussion, SKOP coordinator Dr Wazedul Islam Khan said the yesterday-passed Labour Act-2014 in parliament was entirely against the interest of the workers and contradictory to the suggestions of ILO, which would compound the prevailing anger of the labour force. He also declared to enforce labour strike and siege programme on October 15 across the country in pursuance of the same demand.
Referring to the price of essentials beyond the capacity of buying of the common people, Awami League presidium member Matia Chowdhury remarked that how the problems of RMG labours could be solved when the commerce minister of the country says that he has no work, he is only spending leisure time now.
She urged the owners’ side to determine a reasonable wage for the workers of the garment industries, in accordance with the price of essential commodities and basic needs of a labour as a human being.
President of Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon said the government extended huge facilities to the industries of EPZ areas but it did not give any outstanding facility like subsidy or incentive to the industries of other areas of the country. Two- policy in the same country is depriving the labours of their basic rights, Menon added.
Menon, also the central leader of the 14-party opposition combine asked the garment owners to reconsider and agree to the just demand of minimum salary of Tk 3000 for the workers.
On behalf of the factory owners BKMEA Director SA Baset said both the labours and the owners were eager to settle the matter.
All the problems and crises would be resolved within the very shortest possible time, if the government, owners and labour representatives sit together and sign in the same accord regarding the RMG sector, Baset claimed.
He also criticised the government, as it is remaining silent in this juncture of RMG sector in lieu of extending various incentive and subsidy facilities to the sector.
The labour representatives also demanded habitation management for the workers, issuing identity and health cards for free treatment facility, maternity leave and an end to the oppression on the labours.
Central member of the organisation Abul Hossain presented the keynote paper while President of Ganatantri Party Nurul Islam, Forward Party President ABM Mostafa Amin, Roy Romesh Chandra, Haider Akbar Khan Ranu, General Secretary of Jatiyatabadi Sromik Dal Zafrul Hasan and the central members of National Alliance for Protection of Garment Workers and Industries, among others, spoke the function.
© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation
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