Garment workers demand execution of accord

Garment owners are still depriving workers from their arrears, threatening termination of workers from their jobs and filing cases taking advantage of the state of emergency of the country.

This was learnt while talking to the leaders of different trade unions. They demanded immediate implementation of tripartite accord signed among the government, owners and workers representatives last year.

The leaders of different trade unions hailed the government announcement to the owners to implement the minimum wage of Tk 1662.50 by June 30.

Aminul Haque Amin, General Secretary of National Garments Workers Federation (NGWF) told that some garment owners had not yet paid the arrears and overtimes of the workers for about three to four months.

He said some opportunist owners taking the opportunity of the state of emergency are harassing their workers.

Some factories had implemented some points of the tripartite accord but there is no industry, which implements the accord hundred percent, he said. He alleged that, workers who were in focus during the labour unrest last year had been terminated or being harassed by filing cases.

The trade union leaders demanded of the government to implement its announcement of giving minimum wage from June 30. They also demanded of the government to monitor by which the government would be able to know whether the owners are implementing or not.

There should be a monitoring cell and which should be represented by the government, owners and workers so that no one can give false information, leaders said.

Shamima Nasrin, President of Shadhin Bangla Garment Sramik Karmachari Federation (SBGSKF), demanded of the government to consider the present price hike of the essentials for the workers and start separate rationing for the workers.