(41.51) Complexity in determining the minimum wages of garment workers
Because the owners and workers did not agree, it was not possible to finalize the minimum wage structure for the workers of the ready-made garments industry. Owners want to pay minimum wages to a garment worker 6 thousand 360 But the workers have withdrawn from their minimum wage demand of 16 thousand and demanded at this moment 12 thousand 20 taka. The owners did not agree to accept the demands of the workers, because of this there has been a complexity. Although the garment industry owners' organization- BGMEA officials say there is no problem with this. It will be resolved. Have a lot of time in hand.
In the case of fixing the minimum wage of the garment sector workers in Bangladesh, workers have stepped down from their previous positions. Earlier, they claimed minimum wage of 16 thousand to 18 thousand rupees. Now they have withdrawn from their position and demanded Tk 12.20. At present, the minimum wage of a new worker is Tk 5,300. In the third meeting of the wage board formed by the government to determine the structure of the wage structure for garment sector workers, some workers' organizations disagreed about Tk 12,220. On the other hand, the owners are offering minimum wages to the wage board at Tk 6,360.
In January this year, a wage board was formed to reorganize the workers' minimum wages to the garment sector. Owners of the garment industry want to pay a minimum wage of 6 thousand 360 instead of Tk 16 thousand monthly. In the meeting of the last wage board, BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman as the representative of garment owners proposed this proposal. Meanwhile, when there is a gap between owners and workers in determining the minimum wages for workers, the women's affairs secretary of the National Workers League, Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, as a labor representative on the board, offered the minimum wage Tk 12,220. However, Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan refused to accept the proposal and the workers' organizations in the movement protested. As a result, new complexity was created. Meanwhile, by December 31 this year, the minimum wages for garment workers will be finalized, which will be effective from January 1, 2019.
It is to be noted that the government has fixed a minimum wage of Tk 5,300 for garment workers with a salary of three thousand taka on 01 December 2013. Workers started getting the salary from January 2014. Then on January 14, the Ministry of Labor reconstituted the Permanent Wage Board. Before the formation of various labor union boards, they have been protesting for a minimum wage of Tk 16,000 for the salary of Taka 10 thousand.
Chairman of the wage board, retired district judge Syed Aminul Islam said in the meeting, "The decision of the two parties will be decided very quickly. Some researchers are required to do this, "he said." Before the announcement of the minimum wage, the wage board members will visit the factory to find out the rules of the wage board. He said that final decision regarding wages will be possible within next three months. Although the government is scheduled to announce the new wage structure, the six months of the government's tenure ends on August 18. To complete the rest, the wage board will request the Ministry of Labor to extend the extension for another three months, said Aminul Islam.
It is learned that in 2013, the minimum wages of workers' workers in the garment sector, which was increased by almost 100%, did not agree to increase it by 20 percent. At present, the minimum wage is Rs. Accordingly, they want to give the offer to ownership of 6 thousand 360, which is just more than 19 percent.
The Wage Board will submit the report to the government by reviewing the proposals of the owner and workers. After receiving the recommendation of the board, the government will issue the notification in final and it will be implemented immediately. Although the government has already increased the wages of other industrial workers.
BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman told the Bangla Tribune, "No complications have arisen. It will be resolved. There are still five months to build recommendations. This recommendation will be effective from 1st January, 019. So everyone will be a nice solution based on the discussion. There is nothing to worry about. "He said that considering the inflation in the last five years, we submitted the proposal. Considering the inflation and other factors, the wage structure has already been decided. We have proposed the same way again.
Meanwhile, Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, the labor representative of the board, said, "We have given the proposal considering the fact that no one will lose the job for additional wages. Considering everything, both the workers and the owners have been suggested to survive. '