Apparel workers’ call for wage-hike movement worries manufacturers

Jubair Hasan

Panic has gripped the country's 4,500 plus garment manufacturers after workers threatened to launch a nationwide non-stop protest for wage hikes later this month.

All left leaning trade unions have joined forces and labour groups of top political parties lent their silent support, as workers prepared for a long and hard battle to press for a massive hike in monthly wages.

"Our demand is simple and clear: we want basic monthly wages be fixed at 5,000 taka," said Idris Ali, head of Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra - a Communist Party of Bangladesh-backed trade union.

He said unions have the support of millions of garment workers including those who work in the export processing zones in their fight for a three-fold increase in basic monthly wages.

Garment workers - especially the entry level labourers -- in the country get 1662.50 taka as minimum monthly wage following a tripartite agreement in 2006 among the government, workers and the owners.

"We won't budge an inch from our demand. Workers' bloods have been sold too cheaply in Bangladesh. It's time workers get salaries that can ensure a decent life," he said.

Idris said leader of at least eight left leaning unions met in the city on Saturday and agreed to launch the nationwide protest for wage hikes from the last week of this month.

As part of a build-up to the upcoming wage-hike movement, thousands of workers held violent protests at Ashulia industrial hub last week, vandalising factories and forcing closures of at least 12 plants.

The list of shutdown includes some top names in the country's apparel sector. All three plants of Envoy Group have been shut. Scandex, which employs more than 5,000 workers, has also been closed.

The tough talks of unions and series of violent protests have worried garment entrepreneurs as they feared that the protests could deal a powerful blow to the industry.

Manufacturers said the protest call came at a time when they are receiving increased orders from Europe and the United States after months of negative growth due to the global economic recession.

Their grouping, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), has publicly expressed its alarm and sought increased security and intelligence support for their factories.

"We have been reeling under acute gas and power crisis, which has affected our productivity," Abdus Salam Murshedy, the head of the BGMEA, told the FE.

"And now comes the call for shutdown from the unions. They should be logical. We have yet to bounce back from global meltdown and it is not the right time to seek such a huge wage hike," said Murshedy.

Musrshedy said the owners are eager to raise workers' salaries. "But the workers should be patient. Let the government's minimum wage board (MWB) make the decision," he said.

BGMEA has proposed that it would hike minimum monthly salaries to 1969 taka. They formally sent the proposal to the MWB which was formed in April to raise apparel workers' wages.

But unions have rejected the proposal outright, saying the amount is too small to maintain a decent living standard. They also have received support from experts, civil society and economists.

Murshedy has urged the workers to wait until the MWB reaches a decision. "Vandalism does not help. If it sends panicky foreign buyers to other countries, the workers will be the most-affected," he said.