How trade unions saved RMG units from vandalism

Referring to a recent labour movement for wage hikes that turned violent, causing factory damage and the deaths of four workers, the National Garment Workers Federation has found that factories with active trade unions did not experience work stoppages, unrest, or property damage.

The Federation made the claim at a social dialogue titled "Role of trade unions and CBA in the development of the garment industry and industrial relations" at the National Press Club in the capital on Tuesday.

While presenting a keynote paper at the event, Md Towhidur Rahman, a former secretary-general of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, one of the country's largest worker lobbyists, said the Federation has 36 active trade unions representing various factories, where the number of workers is above 1 lakh.

"There was no unrest or vandalism in these factories during the recent agitation seeking an increase in the minimum wage for garment workers. Workers also continued production," he claimed at the event presided over by Amirul Haque Amin, president of the Federation.

Aman Knittings Ltd is a factory with an active trade union, of which Khadiza Akhter is the president.

She said, "We have more than 1,500 workers in our factory. Workers in different areas took to the streets, and there was unrest. However, we had been in touch with our factory authorities, and none of our workers stopped working or took to the streets."

"In the factories that were vandalised, there are probably no trade unions; if there were, this should not have happened. We want trade unions and workers to have a place to speak or a medium to speak," she asserted.

However, she added that the minimum wage fixed at Tk12,500 is not correct. House rent will increase in January, and other expenses will also go up.

Representatives of mid-level management from various factories said they were afraid of trade unions. However, they acknowledged that, because of the trade unions, their factory workers did not engage in unrest.

Layla Hasan, welfare officer at Aman Sweater, said, "Earlier, there was a misconception that trade unions meant chaos. But our factory is not having problems now. There was no disturbance in our factories during the wage agitation."

At least 10 other trade union leaders and mid-level management spoke in a similar language.

At the end of October and the beginning of November, the labour movement, demanding Tk23,000 as a minimum wage, at one point turned violent in different areas, including Gazipur, Savar, and Mirpur.

In addition to vandalising various factories, setting fires, and burning cars on the road, four workers were killed.

The matter sparked wide discussion both in the country and abroad.

More than 20,000 workers have been charged in 60 cases related to that incident, and more than 100 are currently in jail, according to labour leaders.

Labour leader Babul Akhter told The Business Standard, "The factories where the vandalism took place, two factories have trade unions in name only. They are not effective."

In the event, the labour leader said that currently, the number of trade unions in factories is about 1300, out of which half are not effective.

Selim Mahbub, director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, urged trade unions to be responsible.

He said, "If buyers increase prices, we can pay Tk20,000 in the minimum wage. But buyers are not raising prices."