Deepen worker-owner relations: Bernicat

US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat yesterday suggested further strengthening of industrial relations between the owners and the workers in the garment sector to settle disputes and avoid unrest.

“The workers have their voices and the manufacturers also have their voices. So they should sit together to resolve problems,” she said at a media briefing in Ashulia.

Bernicat said differences arise when workers and owners do not talk to each other.

The briefing took place at the office of the Workers Community Centre run by Awaj Foundation, a rights group. The centre works for the local people in the areas of health, housing and rights. 

Earlier, the US diplomat visited the offices of Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation and Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity.

Bernicat said she talked to a number of workers, people from management and factory owners.

“They said they do not have any problems because they have unions.”

She said if there is a transparent relation between the workers and the owners and they trust each other, then there will be no dispute.

The trust and relationship between the workers and management is just like a true relationship between a husband and a wife, she said.

The envoy said when workers have no ways to communicate with management, they do not trust the management and vice versa. In such cases, a trouble maker can inflict damage, she added. 

“So again, our goal as Bangladesh's friend is to prepare how we can help in a small way for those two groups to help find ways so they trust each other,” Bernicat said.

She said there are some mechanisms to work together such as social dialogue. The International Labour Organisation is working on the issue. Some factory owners also went to Germany to take part in trainings on social dialogue. 

On the suspended Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), Bernicat said Bangladesh needs to do more on labour rights and workplace safety to win back the preferential trade treatment.

The commerce ministry has twice submitted the update to the US Trade Representative, informing it about the progress Bangladesh has made in line with the 16 conditions set by Washington.

Bernicat suggested manufacturers bargain hard with buyers to earn more to pay more to workers. “There is a lot of ways to earn more. Look at the value chain. Bargain hard.”