Experts say there are several reasons behind the volatility in the readymade garment sector. These include flawed wage structure, lack of coordination of garment owners' organization BGMEA, lack of clear understanding of workers about the new wage structure and stress on workers due to overwork.
Talking to the workers and labor unions, it is known that the owners blamed the provocateurs, external attackers and fake traders for fueling the protests by not paying attention to the demands of the garment workers at the beginning of the protest. But if the situation did not improve, the demands of the workers were partially accepted. But by then labor unrest had spiraled out of control. Many workers fear retrenchment and job loss as owners close factories. Earlier, the workers of the pharmaceutical factory protested for salary increase, regularization of jobs, 21 points including weekend leave. The entrepreneurs of the pharmaceutical sector held meetings with the workers of their respective factories and accepted some demands. Within a week, the situation in the pharmaceutical sector started to normalize.
According to garment owners' association BGMEA, a total of 20 factories were closed in Ashulia till last Thursday. Among them, four factories could not pay the salary for August. Ashulia is at the heart of the turmoil in the readymade garment sector. Several leading garment factories of the country are located there. Some former presidents of BGMEA and influential owners close to the outgoing government also have factories here. Usually these owners directly or indirectly shake hands to control other movements including wages. And the labor leaders blame the old tactics of the owners for the unrest in the garment industry. According to them, for a decade and a half, these owners suppressed labor protests or movements by intimidation and beatings and arrests by local miscreants.
Garment industry owners, however, feel that the main reason behind the current unrest is the conflict between local politicians over control of the jhoot trade. They are instigating the workers. The situation has become more complicated as the law and order forces are not able to play the same role as before.
BGMEA leaders held a meeting with senior law enforcement officials, Ashulia factory owners and labor leaders on September 9 to pacify the workers. In a meeting of about 6 hours, it was decided to increase the attendance bonus of Ashulia workers by Tk 225. Apart from this, raising the tiffin bill; Demands for hiring workers on the basis of skill, not men and women, and abolishing blacklisting of workers were accepted. However, the situation did not improve.
Last year the minimum wage board representative of the workers proposed a wage of 20 thousand 393 rupees. Against this, the owner proposed a wage of 10 thousand 400 taka. As the expectations were not fulfilled, the workers got angry and went on strike. At that time, four garment workers died during the three-week agitation. When the situation went out of control, the owner offered a new wage of Tk 12,500 and that was final. Despite this, if the movement continued, the owners and the then government chose to close the factory, prosecute and arrest them. At that time, 43 cases were filed in Gazipur and Ashulia on various charges including factory vandalism, arson, looting. 114 people were arrested in these cases.
Demands and grievances of the workers: It has been found that the demands of the workers of various garment factories in Ashulia have been reviewed, they have given 8 to 25 points of demand depending on the factory. These include 10-15 percent increase in annual wages, attendance bonus of Tk 800-1000, tiffin bill of Tk 50, 12 days holiday in two Eids, formation of trade union etc. Apart from this, there is also a demand to fire some middle-class officials of the factory. The industrial workers said that they do not get their salaries on time, many are also deprived of the minimum wages fixed by the Board. Many were fired for speaking about their demands.
It is known from the investigation that although there is anger among the workers over the recently announced new wage structure, they did not go for any strong movement before the last national elections based on the agreement of the government with the labor unions. In this regard, the labor leaders said, after the election, before the payment of their salaries and allowances, the salary disparity was supposed to be resolved. But now there is no response from the owners. The workers complained that the new salary structure announced by the government increased the minimum wage but reduced the basic wages of the middle class workers. They have also been cheated in terms of overtime and festival bonuses.
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