2-week ultimatum for revising wage

Garment workers’ organisations have given the government-appointed wage board a two-week ultimatum to revise their minimum wage.

At a press conference on Tuesday, they threatened to launch tough movements including strike in garment factories if their demand was not met by Nov 18.

The workers held a press conference at Gonotantrik Biplobi Party office in Dhaka’s Topkhana road after a meeting of the leaders of 12 labour organisations.

Garments Sramik Oikyo Forum President Moshrefa Mishu said they had given the wage board a two-week ultimatum to meet their demand.

The wage board on Monday recommended a minimum monthly wage of Tk 5,300 for the garment workers.

The proposal was finalised in the ninth meeting of the wage board attended by representatives of factory owners and workers.

The workers had been demanding Tk 8,100 as the minimum monthly wage against the present Tk 3,000.

But the representatives of the workers agreed to the Tk 5,300 recommendation.

The owners rejected the proposal saying they were not in a position to give such hike.

The owners said they could accept a 20 percent hike on the present salary and nothing beyond, claiming that would ruin profitability at a time when global markets were getting increasingly competitive.