Tannery workers raise 12-point demands

Demanding a 12-point charter including the complete realisation of labour rights, hundreds of tannery workers and union leaders chanted slogans and rallied on the premises of Tannery Industrial Estate at Hemayetpur of Savar on Monday morning.

During the demonstration marking May Day, they also demanded to ensure the welfare of tannery workers and their families in the industrial estate, said a press release.

The event was organised by Tannery Workers’ Union (TWU) with the support of the Solidarity Center- Bangladesh office.

The demands include formulating a minimum wage board and a new wage structure for tannery workers, barring employment with wages less than the minimum wages declared by the government and the minimum wages prescribed for various grades as per the CBA Agreement, implementing all provisions of labour laws in tanneries, improving occupational health and safety conditions of the workers, setting up a full-fledged 50-bed hospital in the industrial estate.

The demands also include ensuring the implementation of maternity benefits, ensuring social compliance, waste management and CETP for obtaining Leather Working Group (LWG) certification, stopping unlawful harassment and dismissal of workers, stopping appointment through contractors or sub-contractors, ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98, implementing the “National Plan of Action”, and including the tannery industry to the formal sector.

A discussion programme chaired by TWU President Abul Kalam Azad was held after the rally where Sheikh Akram Hossain, office secretary of TWU, presented the declaration.

While addressing the discussion, TWU general secretary Abdul Malek called upon the authorities concerned to take measures for ensuring labour rights while prioritising occupational safety and health for tannery workers.

Addressing as the chief guest, AKM Nasim, country program director of Solidarity Center- Bangladesh office, said, “We should ensure women leadership in the union and their participation in the decision-making process”.

Representatives of Bangladesh Labor Foundation (BLF), GIZ, Mondiaal FNV, Safety and Rights, and Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) were present, among others.