Labour bodies reject wage proposal

Labour organisations in Bangladesh have rejected a Tk 5,300 minimum wage for ready-made garment factory workers proposed by the government-sponsored Wage Board.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 Nov 2013, 05:42 PM
Updated : 4 Nov 2013, 05:42 PM

The Board made the lowest wage proposal at a meeting with the representatives of industry and workers on Monday, around five months after its formation.

Representatives of neither group accepted the recommendation.

Workers’ leaders have demanded Tk 8,000 as the minimum wage, while the owners have expressed their inability to pay such sums.

The owners' representatives walked out of the meeting after the Wage Board fixed Tk 5,300 as the minimum wage.

Asked for reaction to the wage proposal, Garment Sramik Oikya Forum President Moshrefa Mishu told bdnews24.com: “We’re rejecting this minimum wage. We stick to our demand for Tk 8,000 as the lowest remuneration.”

She announced that their movement for realising the demand would continue.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Textile Garments Sramik Federation termed the wage ‘unacceptable’.

Its President Mahbubur Raman Ismail and General Secretary Saidul Islam alleged in a statement that the Wage Board decision had been influenced by the factory owners.

Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra Joint General Secretary Jolly Talukder in a separate statement said: “The demand for Tk 8,000 as the minimum wage would be realised through a strong movement.”

Another workers’ leader, Tapan Saha, said the workers' expectations had not been reflected in the new wage proposal. He demanded that transport and food allowances be included in the wage.

Garment Sramik Karmachari League President Lima Ferdousi said wage "could in no way be less than Tk 8,000".

Garment Sramik Oikya Parisad demanded a review of the recommendation.

Meanwhile, two Left parties – the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BaSad) – in a joint statement described the proposed minimum wage as "unacceptable", saying the workers "would not accept this decision.”

The statement, signed by CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and BaSad General Secretary Khalequzzman, said Tk 8,000 was the minimum the workers needed to survive.

Ganasanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonaid Saki in another statement said they would be with the workers in their movement to achieve their demand.