Closed RMG unit workers denied due benefits, labour leaders allege

Workers of the closed readymade garment (RMG) units are being deprived of their lawful facilities as owners are not following the existing law relating to wage payments and other service benefits, labour leaders alleged.
Since the beginning of inspection by the western retailers' initiatives-Accord and Alliance-so far 20 garment factories faced production suspension while seven out of them might not reopen due to their structural condition, according to industry insiders and officials.
Out of these 20 units, one supplied products for Alliance signatories' brands, six supplied goods to Accord members while the rest units shared the buildings.
But labour leaders alleged that workers of those units are yet to get their lawful payments and service benefits while manufacturers claimed that they had mutual understanding with the workers and paid according to the law.
However, the government authorities concerned are aware of the facts but are not monitoring the issues. They are in the opinion of giving some time to the owners considering their present situation including shutdown of a running factory with work orders, bank and customs liabilities, sources said.
"None of the factories that have been closed following the inspection paid or compensated their workers according to the law," president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League Sirajul Islam Rony said.
Moreover, there are many workers who served the factories for many years but are yet to get any service benefits, he alleged. A good number of workers remain jobless following the suspension or shutdown, he further noted.
But Accord is not monitoring whether the workers, who lost their jobs following its inspection, are getting their wages and other benefits or not, he also alleged. President of Bangladesh Textile Garment Sramik Federation Mahbubur Rahman Ismail alleged that owners of those factories paid some money but not as per the law.
"As workers are not well aware about their rights, factory owners are taking advantage of it," he said.
General secretary of Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendro K M Ruhul Amin said the government authorities concerned know the fact but favour the factory owners.
Workers are helpless and are forced to take the money given by the owners, he said citing example that Softex only paid three months' basic pay but no other service benefits.
When contacted, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Md Shahidullah Azim said two things are happening, inside RMG industries - one is: remediation is taking place in some industries and the other is - some factories are facing shutdown.
Where remediation is taking place, workers would get their payment monthly and there is mutual understanding between the workers and owners relating to this. In case of shutdown workers will get all benefits according to the law, he admitted.
He also claimed that many owners are not able to pay three months' wages at a time.
Alliance is paying one month's wages, he said requesting the Accord to set such an example and contribute to workers' payment.
When asked, managing director of Alliance M Rabin said if owners are ready to pay two months' wages when remedial work would take place, Alliance would actively consider paying the workers two months' wages.
Alliance paid one month's wages to the workers of RSI Apparels in Chittagong while its owner paid the other one month's wages, he added.
Mr Rabin also admitted that the remedy of the RSI building is critical as building and factory owners are different persons.  
In reply to a question, managing director of RSI Anjan Shekhar Das admitted that his workers got two months' wages and the building is beyond repair.
But he claimed that RSI workers got wages as per the law and 60 per cent of them got job in his other unit.
However, the North American buyers are also giving the owners the opportunity to pay only two months' wages in case of shutdown of any factory following the inspection, some labour leaders alleged.
Though Alliance is coming forward to contribute to the workers' payment, Accord is not doing so, they alleged.
However, any Accord representative could not be reached for comments.
Labour leaders said the owners are violating the law while the government is not strictly monitoring the situation.
They said the government should strictly monitor the overall situation.
If workers are continuously deprived, they might take to the streets and go against the inspection activities as they are losing their jobs following the assessment programmes, labour leaders threatened adding that it might disrupt the overall inspection activities.
The Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments said the owners of the suspended factories committed to compensating the workers according to the law.
"If they fail to do so, the government will take legal action against them," he added.