Staff Reporter :
Apparel workers, who remained absent in workplaces last month due to the countrywide shutdown, will get 65 per cent of their wages instead of 60 per cent.
The additional 5 per cent will be disbursed next month with the wages of May as the owners have already placed salary documents to banks for fund under a stimulus package.
The decision came at a meeting presided over by State Minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian with the trade union leaders and garment owners at Sram Bhaban in the capital on Monday.
The meeting, however, decided to pay full salaries to workers who joined and worked last month.
Last week, a Tripartite Consultative Council meeting decided to pay 60 per cent wage to the absentee workers.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Rubana Huq, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president AKM Salim Osman, first vice president Mohammad Hatem and trade union leaders were present in the meeting.
“Trade union leader demanded to increase the percentage of wages for those workers who were unable to join their workplaces. We agreed upon their demand and increased salaries to 65 per cent for the last month,” Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president AKM Salim Osman told The New Nation. Trade union leaders, however, are not happy with the 5 per cent rise.
“We have demanded 80 per cent salaries for the workers who could not join factories due to the shutdown but the factory owners did not agree,” Babul Akter, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation said.
From April 26, apparel makers reopened factories in phases but a good number of workers are still unable to join their workplaces as they are staying their village homes outside Dhaka due to the lock-down and public holiday till May 15.
