Significance of May Day

The historic May Day is being observed today in the country as elsewhere in the world as a mark of respect to the workers who made supreme sacrifices in their bid to establishing one minimum demand---eight-hour working day--- of the working community in 1886 in Chicago City in the USA. The Chicago Martyrs will be remembered on this day for making the first step forward to ensure a minimum improvement in the repressive working conditions that prevailed at that time even in countries that are now leading the world, politically as well as economically. Since the labour uprising in Chicago, the world has undergone a sea change in all respects, including labour rights situation. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), established in 1919 to promote social justice for the working class, and democracy taking its roots across continents, have played a key role in protecting the rights of the workers. The change has also been noted in characteristics of the working community itself. Earlier, the vast majority of the labourers used to be employed in the manufacturing and other industries that were heavily dependent on manual work. But with its role expanding in the economy, the service sector now employs a substantial number of professionals and others belonging to various vocations. So, the composition of labour today is not the same as it was several decades back. Notwithstanding the fact there were eruptions of violent labour unrest during both post-independence and recent years, the labour movement in Bangladesh has a glorious tradition. The country being a signatory to the ILO conventions, has enacted several pieces of legislations and regulations aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of the workers. While trade unions have been active in the country's older industries and most service institutions, the same has not been able to make any significant inroads in new ones, including the export-oriented readymade garments (RMG) sub-sector. There are opposing views on the introduction of trade unions in the apparel sub-sector that plays a very important role in the economy. However, many tend to believe that the workers do need to move away from the traditional trade unionism with a view to encouraging the existing entrepreneurs to expand their business activities and the new ones to make investments in job-oriented new manufacturing and service units. A country like Bangladesh where every third person is either unemployed or under-employed cannot afford the luxury of sticking to too much of trade unionism that acts as a disincentive to new productive investment. However, the workers cannot be denied their rights and privileges under any circumstances. Thus, there is a strong need for responsible trade unions and the management, adequately responsive and sympathetic to the cause of the workers, to work together for the furtherance of their mutual interests. Another issue that deserves attention of policymakers and the workers is productivity. While labour laws do provide adequate protection to the interests of the workers at their workplace, the same have bypassed the issue of labour productivity, an important factor in terms of efficiency and profitability of any business and production enterprise. But the fact remains that low level of labour productivity is hurting most industries in Bangladesh. This is an area where the government can play an important role. It should arrange proper training and education for the workers free of cost to help raise their productivity and skills. An educated and skilled labour force is a long-term asset for any country. Only through joint-efforts of the government, the entrepreneurs and the workers, can such an asset be built up having wider and positive impact on the economy for the greater good of posterity.