Biman staff to observe 8-hr strike Aug 6

This June 30 Banglar Chokh photo shows employees of Biman Bangladesh Airlines laying siege to the office of the acting managing director at Balaka headquarters in the capital for around three hours over a 14-point charter of demands relating to their jobs and benefits.

Employees of the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines will observe an eight-hour work abstention on August 6 to press home their 14-point demand.

All administrative work at Biman’s head office at Balaka Bhaban will remain suspended for eight hours since 9:00am on that day, said Moshiqur Rahman, president of collective bargaining agent (CBA) of the airlines.

The other operations, however, will continue as usual, he added. 

The CBA president made the announcement after ending a three-hour sit-in programme in front of Biman’s head office at Balaka Bhaban in the capital.

While announcing the programme, Moshiqur also threatened to enforce a fresh movement if the authorities concerned do not meet their demand by this time.

Earlier, around 200 staff staged the sit-in in front of Balaka on Airport Road from 9:00am today to realise the demands that include regularisation of staff working on a temporary basis for five years. 

The employees led by Moshiqur did not allow the other staff to enter the office. 

The workers have been demanding a new organogram for Biman, recruitment of more workers in the ground handling department, allowances for meals and uniforms, 100 percent free medical facilities for employees, and regularisation of staff working on a temporary basis for five years.

Earlier on June 30 and July 3, the Biman employees laid a siege to the offices of the managing director and chairman at Balaka headquarters respectively to press home the demands.

In January last year, the staff observed a strike over the same demands, which later boiled down into a single demand--resignation of the chairman.

The seven-hour strike left around 3,000 passengers stuck at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and flight schedule of many airlines went into disarray. No flights left for 14 hours.