Siddique pulls up US envoy

The Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique has tersely objected to US envoy Dan Mozena’s asking managements to allow trade union rights in readymade garment factories.

“I wonder whether the comments reportedly made by HE Ambassador Mozena directly pressurising garment factory owners of Bangladesh to introduce trade unions is in keeping with his diplomatic status,” said Siddique. ”He should be aware of diplomatic norms.”

The textiles minister conveyed his feeling in a letter to the US envoy on Monday. Copies of the letter were sent to media outlets.

Mozena’s remarks were described in the letter as ‘obtrusive, hurting and provocative’ for the government of the host country.

“Ambassador Mozena will further appreciate that having or not having trade unions is essentially an internal issue of the country,” Siddique said in the letter.

Mozena reportedly asked for trade unions in garment factories during a public hearing organised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower in Dhaka last Saturday.

Siddique said the government was actively considering allowing labour welfare committees of collective bargaining agent (CBA) at garment factories, and a bill for amending the Labour Act 2006 is now underway.

The US Ambassador on several occasions has said that failing to allow trade unions in garment factories sends a negative signal to US buyers and might impact on Washington’s decision to continue the GSP facility for Bangladesh.