READYMADE garment workers have rejected the minimum wage set by the government, accusing it of pandering to the owners and said they will fight to get a monthly wage of Tk 16,000. Their reactions came hours after the government raised the minimum wage for clothing workers to Tk 8,000 on Thursday. “The government has done injustice to the workers by declaring the minimum wage. We reject this wage,” Joly Talukder, a leader of Garment Workers’ Trade Union Centre said, according to the media reports. In protest, several garment workers’ organisations, including the Trade Union Center, held rallies in front of the National Press Club on Friday and Saturday.
“The owners have betrayed the workers by announcing the new wage and so has the government,” Garment Workers Leader Moshrefa Mishu said. The garment owners proposed Tk 6,360 minimum wage in a discussion with the wage board. “We have repeatedly tried to convince the government, BGMEA and BKMEA that a family of six of a worker cannot survive if Tk 16,000 was not fixed as a minimum wage. The new wage has no rationality,” she added. “We cannot accept it. This wage structure has been made in line with the factory owners’ proposal. The owners have benefited from the government that reduces corporate taxes and gives other benefits.”
The apparel industry, employer of 40 million workers, mostly rural women, contributed 83.49% to Bangladesh’s total exports of $36.66 billion to date. But they often complain that -their salary range is very poor, working atmosphere not good, medical facility not adequate and others.
It is not possible for us in the present economic crisis which needs to be seriously considered. It is understandable; Taka eight thousand wages a month including some fringe benefits cannot be justified. Everybody knows, it is impossible to maintain a family of even two members by Taka 8000. Most of the garment workers live in slums or undeveloped localities in an inhuman condition.
It is all right to say that workers should be given minimum living wages. But if the industry cannot survive in the given economic conditions then this aspect has to be considered for determining what is just and fair as minimum wages. The contribution of workers is no doubt important but investment, management and market situations are more important for an industry to survive. So the workers’ interest cannot be justly addressed without taking into consideration the government’s failure to create business friendly atmosphere in the country.
