75pc RMG factories failed to implement new wage: Workers

Workers’ unions in the readymade garment (RMG) sector on Sunday claimed that about 75 percent of the apparel factories have failed to implement the new wage structure, while almost all the factories are tampering with the grades of the workers to deprive them of the legitimate wages. Addressing a press conference, union leaders also noted that some 10 lakh workers in the knitting sub-sector are getting the same wages as before as the last minimum wages board has not considered the hike in the ‘piece rate’, which is actually the basis of payment in knitting factories. Besides, the right of knitting workers to get the overtime payment has been rescinded by the government through the imposition of section 108 of the Bangladesh Labuor (Amendment) Act 2013. The press conference was organised by Garments Sramik Sangram Parishad at Nirmal Sen Auditorium at Topkhana Road, Paltan, according to a news agency.