Tuba Group units Labour leaders for resumption of operation

Labour leaders gave their opinion Thursday in favour of resumption of operation in all Tuba Group factories and sought an immediate decision from the authorities concerned in this respect.
Their opinion came at a view exchange meeting with the apparel sector leaders at the headquarters of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) with BGMEA Vice President Reaz-Bin-Mahmood in the chair.
Leaders from more than 35 garment labour rights groups took part in the view exchange meeting against the backdrop of the recent stalemate over the Tuba Group factories relating to payment of arrear wages and other benefits of the workers.
 "We want the authorities to reopen all the factories for securing the jobs of around 1,600 workers and hope that a decision in this connection will be made shortly," president of Garment Sramik Karmachari League Lima Ferdous said.
There is no formal announcement of shutdown of the units, so the authority has to pay wages for the month of August, she said adding if they fail to run the factories, they have to compensate the workers according to the law of the land.
 "We also demand immediate payment of festival allowances," Bahrain-e-Sultan, another labour leader said.
Reaz-bin-Mahmood said they held the meeting to seek the labour leaders' opinion on the Tuba Group factory situation.
 "We will convey the labour leaders' message to the Tuba Group managing director shortly," he said.
More than 1,500 workers of five units of Tuba Group had been on a hunger strike, demanding workers' arrears for the month of May, June and July last and other financial benefits, including overtime bills and festival allowances.
After 11 straight days of the hunger strike, they received wages for the months of May, June and July on August 7, 8 and 10 respectively.
However, they are still in the dark about the festival allowances.