RMG owners fail to submit proposal on wage hike, want more time

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Monira Munni Garment factory owners on Monday failed to submit their proposal on wage hike to the Wage Board as promised by them earlier. The failure has raised fear among the labour representatives about a fresh bout of workers' unrest in the industry. The representatives of the readymade garment (RMG) factories took two weeks' time from the Wage Board for submitting their proposal. Labour leaders expressed their fear of unrest if the owners take too much time in placing their proposals with regard to forming fresh wage structure for the country's three million plus apparel workers. They alleged that it was a plot to lingering the process beyond the Eid-ul-Azha. "We expected that they (the owners' representative) would place their proposal in Monday's meeting of the Wage Board. Rather they sought time extension," Sirajul Islam Rony, who is representing the workers at the Board, said. "They are now trying to delay the process and I did mention it in the meeting," he told the FE after the meeting. The owners should not delay the process of forming the wage structure for the betterment of the industry, he added. Bahran-e-Sultan, president of Jago Bangla Garment Sramik Federation, alleged that the owners are trying to drag the process up to the upcoming Eid. He feared that it might trigger unrest among the workers. Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation president Nazma Akter said if the owners linger the process, it might result in further unrest among the workers. President of Karmajibi Nari Shirin Akhter demanded early announcement of wage hike saying, "At the end, we want our demand to be fulfilled." Earlier, the first meeting of the Wage Board asked the workers' leaders to prepare their proposals while the workers' representatives placed it timely on July 18. The owners' representatives were supposed to place their proposals in the meeting held on Monday. But Arshad Jamal Dipu, who is representing the owners' side, sought extension of time saying they (factory owners) are yet to reach any consensus regarding the wage hike. The Wage Board extended the time and asked the owners' representative to place their proposal in the next meeting to be held on September 17. Mr Jamal said the owners held meetings several times but are yet to come to any conclusion. "We will hold an emergency general meeting and will finalise the proposals before the next meeting," Mr Jamal said. In June last, the government formed the new Wage Board, comprising six members, for enhancement of wages for the country's garment industry following series of violent acts over wage hike. The last Wage Board was formed in January, 2010 and set the minimum wage in July, 2010. The last Wage Board on July 27, 2010 set the minimum monthly wage for garment workers at Tk 3,000 up from Tk 1,662.50 fixed in 2006 and Tk 940 in 1994.