Board seeks another three months to propose minimum RMG wage
However, labour representatives alleged that the delay was just a “trick” by the factory owners, depriving the workers of their increased wages
The board formed to recommend the minimum wages for the ready-made garment workers has appealed for three months' time as it failed to prepare the wage proposal in the stipulated period of six months.
The board has meanwhile written to the labour and employment ministry asking for the extension.
"We sent the letter to the ministry on Wednesday, 11 October, seeking three more months," Raisha Afroz, secretary of the minimum wages board, told The Business Standard yesterday.
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However, labour representatives alleged that the delay was just a "trick" by the factory owners, depriving the workers of their increased wages.
The minimum wage board for RMG workers was formed on 9 April. Since then, it has held only three meetings where neither any representatives from the labour side nor from the owners' side have submitted any wage proposal.
The failure to recommend the salary structure at the stipulated time is now triggering fresh concerns among workers that it could be delayed further.
Joly Talukder, vice president of the Garment Workers' Trade Union Centre, told TBS, "Delaying wage declarations is a trick by the owners, depriving the workers of their rightful payments."
"If it continues like this, there is a possibility of labour unrest," she feared.
However, citing labour rules, Raisha Afroz said that there are measures in the case of time extension.
Currently, the minimum wage for garment workers is Tk8,000 per month.
Prof Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, thinks that the real income of workers has decreased due to the soaring inflation in the country for the last two years.
"During this time, workers' income and inflation both has increased at the same rate. As a result, the real income of workers has decreased."
Arguing against the wage proposal, a factory owner representative on the minimum wage board, Siddiqur Rahman, told TBS, "The market must be observed. The condition of the international market is not good. There is no work in some factories."
He said that he would propose the wages this month.
The labour unions, however, have been demanding to increase the minimum wage to Tk23,000-Tk25,000 considering the current inflation situation.
