Minimum wage structure for RMG workers will be acceptable to both sides: Minister Musarraf ; Govt wants trade union in RMG sector to ensure workers’ r

By AKM Moinuddin

Dhaka, Jul 7 (UNB) - The government is in its final stage to come up
with the new wage structure for the readymade garment workers which
is expected to be acceptable to both owners and workers, Minister for
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Khandker Musharraf
Hossain said on Wednesday.
“I hope the new wage structure to be announced on July 28 will
satisfy both owners and workers. The committee, working on it, will
ensure a win-win situation for both parties,” he said while talking
to the journalists after a seminar held in the city today.
Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in association with CSR
(corporate social responsibility) Center arranged the seminar titled
“UN Global Compact Labour Standards” in Lake Shore Hotel in the city
with its president Farooq Sobhan in the chair.
Musarraf said garment workers’ “cry and sorrows” remained unheard
simply due to non-existence of trade union in the garments sector.
“It’s (trade union) urgent in the garment sector. We want
introduction of trade union in this sector as we believe it’ll
protect the right of both workers and owners,” Musarraf said adding
that the government is working on it.
He said the government is already discussing with the concerned
parties to create a formal trade union for RMG sector for keeping the
vital sector ‘trouble-free.’
Justifying his stand on trade union, he said: “We want to listen to
their complaints and grievances. We only find owners when a dispute
arises.”
The minister further said the government is actively reviewing wage
structure of 46 sectors with special attention to readymade garments
to ensure a harmonized environment both for owners and employees.
“An independent committee is working on it and the committee has so
far held 10 meetings which were fruitful,” the minister said.
He reassured that the government would form special security force -
industrial police - for ensuring peace in industrial zones. “It’s
(formation of industrial police) under process.”
Musarraf also said the government is reviewing the Labour Act (2006)
to remove all discrepancies including difference of wages between
male and female workers.
On enhancing skill and efficiency of workers, he said training is a
must and the government has taken all required steps to produce
skilled workers for sending abroad.
“Apart from the existing training institutes across the country,
establishment of 31 new training centers is underway,” he said adding
that currently 70 lakh Bangladeshi workers are working abroad.
Earlier, the panel speakers focused on child labour, forced labour,
discrimination and right to collective bargaining.
Regional Programme manager of International Organization for
Migration (IOM) Kristina Mejo, programme officer of International
Labour Organization (ILO) Nur Nabi Khan, sector head of ActionAid
Bangladesh Asgar Ali Sabri, president of Bangladesh National Woman
Lawyers Association (BNWA) Fawzia Karim Firoze, country manager of
Bureau Veritas Golam Kibria and UNDP, Bangladesh official Majeda Haq
presented papers on the four key principles on labour issues in the
seminar.

END/UNB/AKM