Tannery workers demand forming minimum wage board
Hundreds of workers and union leaders joined a rally in Savar, marking International Workers’ Day
Tannery workers and union leaders demanded the formation of a minimum wage board and a new wage structure for tannery workers and urged the government to ensure the welfare of them and their families.
At a demonstration on the premises of the Tannery Industrial Estate at Hemayetpur of Dhaka's Savar upazila on Monday, hundreds of tannery workers and union leaders put forward a 12-point demand for realisation of their rights.
Tannery Workers' Union (TWU) with the support of the Solidarity Center - Bangladesh office organised the event, marking International Workers' Day, said a press release.
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The demands also include barring employment with wages less than the minimum wages declared by the government and the minimum wages prescribed for various grades as per the CBA Agreement, implementing all provisions of labour laws in tanneries, improving occupational health and safety conditions of the workers, setting up a full-fledged 50-bed hospital in the industrial estate.
They also demanded ensuring the implementation of maternity benefits, ensuring social compliance, waste management, and CETP for obtaining Leather Working Group (LWG) certification, stopping unlawful harassment and dismissal of workers, stopping appointments through contractors or subcontractors, ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98, implementing the "National Plan of Action", and including the tannery industry to the formal sector.
Following the rally, a discussion was held at the venue, chaired by Tannery Workers Union President Abul Kalam Azad.
At the discussion, Workers Union General Secretary Abdul Malek called upon the authorities concerned to take measures for ensuring labour rights and prioritise occupational safety and health for tannery workers.
AKM Nasim, country program director of Solidarity Center- Bangladesh office, said, "We should ensure women leadership in the union and their participation in the decision-making process".
Among others, representatives of Bangladesh Labor Foundation, GIZ, Mondiaal FNV, Safety and Rights, and Ethical Trading Initiative were present.
