DOT Desk
The crisis management committee for the readymade garments (RMG) sector on Saturday urged workers to return to their workplaces on December 17 giving them assurance of resolving the anomalies, if there is any, in the new wages structure the government had announced recently, reports The Daily Observer.
The appeal was made at an emergency meeting of the CMC on Saturday at the Labour and Employment Ministry with State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu in the chair. The government announced the new wages structure following the recommendations of the Minimum Wages Commission for RMG Sector and in consultion with the leaders of the workers and RMG owners on September 14 this year. During the announcement, both of the parties agreed to implement the new structure from December this year. According to the agreement, the RMG workers will get their salaries and other benefits by January 7 to 10 next year. Although both the parties agreed to the new wages structure at that time, a section of the RMG workers have started a fresh movement recently.
Responding to the call, a huge number of the RMG workers of Dhaka, Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj began work abstention. Responding to the demands of the workers, the Labour and Employment Ministry convened the Saturday’s tripartite emergency meeting of government officials, RMG owners and workers.
After the meeting, Mujibiul Haque Chunnu told journalists that the government had finalised and announced the new wages structure consulting with the leaders of the RMG owners and workers. The minimum wage was set at Tk 8,000. The workers will get their new wages by January 7 to 10 next year. “However, a section of the RMG workers have started demonstration in the streets due to some misunderstanding and propaganda. The workers will be able to understand that they were misguided. They will get their salaries higher than their previous salaries,” Chunnu added.
He also claimed that a section of culprits are trying to misguide the RMG workers eyeing on the upcoming national elections on December 30. They want to use the workers against the ruling party during the elections. Everyone should remain alert on the issue. Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Siddiqur Rahman told journalists that less than one per cent of the factories are facing problems due to recent workers unrest. RMG owners don’t want any unrest in the sector.
“After disbursing the salary of December, we will be able to know about the lackings of the new wages structure. If any problem is found, we will try to resolve it at the factory level. If it’s not resolved, BGMEA will intervene to resolve the issue,” he added.