Both the workers’ and owners’ representatives have again failed to put forward a proposal for new wages for the readymade garment workers at the second meeting of the RMG wage board.
The meeting ended on Thursday without any concrete decision on the new wage for apparel workers.
Traditionally, workers’ sides first place their demand for minimum wage to the board and then the owners also place their demand. But in the meeting, workers’ representatives failed to place their demands. As a result, the board did not come up with a concrete decision in this regard.
The source said that trade unions of the readymade garment sector failed to make a proposal for specific wages, though they held several meetings. Some of the trade unions were also placing their demand on the board individually.
Even in the second meeting, Bangladesh Garment Workers Unity Council (BGWUC) demanded Tk 23,000 as monthly minimum wage instead of the existing Tk 8,100. They also placed a memorandum to the minimum wage board demanding the same.
Amid the situation, the board has decided to visit the factories to get an idea about the minimum wage proposal where owners’ and workers’ representatives will also be present. After the visit, both parties will have to place a wage proposal in the next meeting scheduled to take place in September.
Replying to a query, workers’ representative Sirajul Islam Rony told The Business Post, “We tried to make a specific proposal to the board. But some trade unions are still demanding separate wages. I don’t know why they are doing so. If I fail to make a concrete proposal how I will bargain with them.”
During the trade unions’ meetings, he said, some proposed Tk 24,000 per month as minimum wage while some proposed Tk 23,000. He asked them to come to an agreement on the proposal for minimum wage, but the leaders disagree. Even many trade unions did not participate in the meetings and were staging demonstrations individually and seeking wage hikes.
“I will convene another stakeholder meeting to make a specific proposal. If the meeting again fails to make a single proposal, I will visit the factories and directly talk to workers’ leaders to place the proposal in the next meeting,” said Rony, also president of Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employees League.
However, several leaders of trade unions said that their demands are almost the same. That is why owners can easily submit their proposals to the board.
They also said that workers’ representatives called a meeting at a city hotel to put forward specific proposals. As all the workers had no access to the hotel, they did not attend the meeting. They also raised a question about the procedure of nomination of the workers’ representative.
Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Centre Vice President Joly Talukder said, “Some are proposing Tk 23,000 while some are proposing Tk 25,000. But most of the workers demand Tk 25,000 as minimum wage. So, the board can start a discussion based on the amount. Why are they taking time?
“We will stage a demonstration in the capital on Friday demanding Tk 25,000 per month as minimum wage, and we will be on the street until the demand is met.”
Secretary General of BGWUC Md Bazlur Rahman Bablu said, “If our demands are not fulfilled today, then the wage board and the government will be held accountable for the upcoming course of action.”
On April 9 this year, the Ministry of Labour and Employment formed a four-member permanent new wage board, headed by Senior District Judge Liaquat Ali Molla, to review RMG workers’ wages.
The other three members are Bangladesh Employers' Federation representative Moksud Belal Siddiqui, Workers' Representative Jatiya Sramik League Leader Sultan Ahmed, and an independent member Dhaka University Prof Md Kamal Uddin.
Besides, the ministry announced the names of two members as owners' and workers' representatives respectively–former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Md Siddiqur Rahman and Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employees League President Sirajul Islam Rony.
The first meeting of the RMG wage board ended on May 24 without any outcome. During that meeting, Liaquat asked the representatives of owners and workers to submit a specific proposal in the next meeting.
But both the parties failed to submit a proposal to the meeting held at the office of the Minimum Wage Board on Topkhana Road in the capital on Thursday.
Liaquat Ali Mollah, chairman of the Minimum Wage Board said, "The next meeting will be held in September. The board members will visit small, medium and large garment factories in the country and submit proposals based on this.”
As per the Bangladesh Labour Act and Labour rules, the government will have to form a new wage board after every five years and it will set a new wage structure.
In December 2018, the government-nominated board declared a new pay structure fixing minimum wages at Tk 8,000 per month.
Since early 2022, RMG workers had been staging demonstrations several times demanding the formation of a new wage board, and Tk 24,000 as the monthly minimum wage, citing skyrocketing inflation in the country.
