RMG owners reluctant to pay more than Tk 2400

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Ready-made garment factory owners are not interested in providing more than Tk 2,400 as minimum wage a month against the workers' demand of Tk 5,000, a parliamentary panel has been told, reports bdnews24.com.
Considering the owners refusal, the watchdog on the labour and manpower ministry had recommended providing the workers with conveyance, accommodation facilities and other allowances for the poorly-paid workers.
Ministry officials informed the standing committee meeting that the minimum wage for the RMG workers could be announced a day later than the previously announced time-frame of July 28, which is a public holiday.
"The officials have informed us that the owners are not interested in paying more than Tk 2,400 per month," Israfil Alam, the standing committee chairman, told reporters after the meeting at parliament building.
He said the government was in consultation with the RMG owners to persuade them to pay more.
"We have recommended that the workers can survive if the owners provide them conveyance and other allowances plus accommodation facilities for the workers," said Alam, a labour leader, adding that only pay hike was not the solution to the workers' woes.