Registered TUs in RMG rise to 81 from only one: dialogue told

Stakeholders have said last year's building collapse and fire incidents have put the readymade garment (RMG) industry in new challenges to develop well-organised trade unions and maintain better employer-worker relations for a sustainable industrial development.
They said the number of registered trade unions increased to 81 in 2013 from only one in 2010 but incidents of industrial unrest are also on the rise though a study found hardly any involvement of registered unions in vandalism.
They also emphasised on social safety net programmes for garment workers and commitment of both owners and registered trade unions to create a better industrial environment.
The stakeholders were sharing their views during a social dialogue on 'Industrial relations and sustainable development of RMG industry: role of national and international stakeholders' at Brac Centre in the city on Tuesday.
The Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) jointly organised the dialogue with the participation of all stakeholders of the RMG sector in the month of Rana Plaza collapse incident. The dialogue aimed at finding new roadmap for making Bangladesh the world's best RMG-producing country.
Chaired by BILS Chairman Habibur Rahman Shiraz, the dialogue was addressed by Labour and Employment Secretary Mikhail Shipar, visiting president of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Michael Sommer, German Ambassador Dr Albrecht Conze, ILO Country Director Srinivas Reddy and BGMEA president Atiqul Islam, among others.
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahammed of the BILS presented the keynote paper during the dialogue highlighting challenges like building confidence among national and international stakeholders and meeting the international time-bound demand for compliances.
He also laid importance to giving all-out support to make the newly-formed trade unions (TUs) agents  of change and starting CBA process, ensuring proper representation of workers, protecting trade union activists and establishing network and regular coordination among TUs and other human rights organisations.
The visiting ITUC President lauded the country's openness for more constructive dialogue among  unions, employers and the government including Accord as an achievement.
"There is just no compromise possible when the health and safety of people are in danger even if this means additional costs for brands and factory owners for these improvements," he said. He assured the audience of continuing the ITUC efforts to put pressure on the EU brands to reform their business practices and contribute to improving standards for a healthy working environment.
He, however, said the ultimate responsibility to protect workers in Bangladesh lies squarely with the employers. The government has to implement and enforce labour laws and bring those in line with binding ILO conventions.
The Labour Secretary called all to come forward to face the challenges with positive and ethical mindset and said they should also work together to fix compensation for the victim workers.
The German Ambassador emphasised on taking steps for restoring the country's image and making Bangladesh as the world's best industrial country.
The BGMEA President said politicisation of TUs often causes havoc for the industry.
Member of parliament Shirin Akter, Secretary General of IndustryAll Bangladesh Council Roy Romesh Chandra, SKOP Coordinator Mesbah Uddin Ahmed and Executive Director of the Solidarity Centre Alonzo Glenn Suson, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation Faruk Ahmed and Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan of BILS also spoke on the occasion.