Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi addressing a CPD Dialogue on the garment workers' wage structure at a hotel at Mohakhali in the city on Saturday — FE photo Threats from a section of garment factory owners to dismiss workers and suspend production despite the assurance of adjustment of wages prompted the latter to go for the recent agitations in different apparel hubs in the country, says a private think-tank.
"Workers were compelled to create the adverse situation over their demand (for hiking wages)," the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said at a dialogue on 'Recent Wage Debates in the RMG sector: What is it all about' held on Saturday in the city.
Labour leaders, however, said workers continued to be victimised following their recent movement against the disproportionate wage hike.
The factory owners filed cases against hundreds of workers, started dismissing them and increased the hourly work-loads as part of their cost-cutting strategy after the hike, the labour leaders said.
The ready-made garment (RMG) sector witnessed the recent labour unrest due to problems with the new wage structure, weaknesses in monitoring and enforcement of the new minimum wages, non-compliance of entrepreneurs with the implementation process and victimising workers in course of the wage implementation, the CPD said at the dialogue.
The CPD suggested a comprehensive approach to addressing the diverse challenges to implanting the new minimum wage and addressing the concerns over the structure and composition of minimum wage.
The workers should not be harassed and workers' biometric database should be monitored by a tri-partite committee, it added.
CPD's Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan chaired the session while Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi was the chief guest. The think tank's research director Knondaker Golam Moazzem presented the keynote on 'Recent wage debates in the RMG sector: ten lessons learned'.
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Md Siddiqur Rahman and Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendro President Montu Ghosh, among others, spoke on the occasion.
A section of factories threatened to suspend production while another section threatened to dismiss the workers despite the assurance of adjusting their wages, Mr Moazzem said in his keynote paper.
As per the rule, punitive measures should be taken against non-compliant factories. But the reality was that the workers were being penalised, not the owners, he said.
"There is an apprehension to permanently lose the jobs in the garment sector, if workers are 'blacklisted' and are reported in the newly-created biometric database," he said.
He suggested a tripartite committee monitoring the biometric database. It should not be left in the hands of associations alone, he said.
The presentation showed that the institutional process was ignored in setting the minimum wage. Minimum compliance requirements, including prevailing increments and benefits, selection of representatives, especially of the workers, definition of minimum wages, method of calculation were needed to be taken into cognizance.
It also identified 10 lessons from various issues of non-compliance with implementing the new minimum wages.
Firstly, the upward adjustment of basic wages of all grades and increments should be made based on skills while the workers' demand for wage in upper grades should be taken into account.
On the other hand, the factory should mandatorily arrange sessions for workers about changes in wages, establishing an effective mechanism of communication between factory authorities and workers, putting pressure on factories regarding legal obligation, strengthening the social dialogue mechanism, not to increase the production target alone to reduce costs, and taking some non-wage initiatives to address a part of concerns of the workers.
Speaking at the dialogue, the commerce minister urged the apparel makers to take measures so that no innocent workers are harassed by the police due to their alleged involvement in the recent labour unrest for wage revision.
He asked the BGMEA president to look into the issue whether any illogical case was filed against any garment worker. "It will not be right and we don't want it," he said.
At the same time, he, however said, no vandalism and trouble making in the sector was acceptable.
The minister stressed that the nominated workers' representatives continue the dialogue so that the matter of instigating the workers or spread of rumour could be investigated.
Labour leaders at the dialogue alleged that workers continued to be victimised after the wage hike movement as more than 30 cases had been filed against 5,000 to 5,500 'unknown' people.
They demanded that the government and factory owners allow trade unions in factories so that workers can discuss and negotiate their demands.
Besides, factory authorities are suspending workers for their alleged involvement in the vandalism during the recent unrest, said Touhidur Rahman, former secretary general of Industriall Bangladesh Council. He suggested mentioning the workers' grades on their identity cards and attendance cards.
Babul Akhter, another IBC former leader, suggested formation of a committee to scrutinise the cases so that innocent workers do not face any harassment.
Demanding incentives as given to garment factory owners, he said that the government should provide the same to workers through ration, low-cost accommodation, health service and education for workers' children.
Turning down labour leaders' allegations, the BGMEA president said the factory authorities never set any excessive production target and never forced workers to do work for extra time.
He assured them that the factory owners would not fire any innocent workers.
Speaking on the occasion, the FBCCI president proposed holding an election in the sector regarding formation of a trade union. "Forming trade union is a right and also the workers have rights for not to form trade union," he said.
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