RMG workers' recurring unrest
DISTURBANCES in the readymade garment factories are happening with appalling regularity. The reason, this time as well as for most of the pervious incidents, has hade to do with the workers' pay and remuneration. It is alarming to see the garment workers indulging in destruction of the very things that provide for their livelihood. What started off with demands of one single garment factory in Ashulia, spread to a large number of factories in the vicinity, which eventually led to the shutting down of nearly 50 of these.
Not only were factories damaged and looted, the main highway connecting the capital to the country's East remained disrupted for the greater part of the day also. We cannot but condemn the violence. The workers should understand that it is the national economy that their senseless act is destroying. They must not fail to see that resorting to vandalism, if anything, will only compel people to lose sympathy in their cause which we feel is justified.
While violence is unwarranted and inexcusable what we fail to understand is why the owners and the government have not been able to do anything to prevent the recurring unrest in the RMG sector?
The issue of remuneration of the RMG workers has been a lingering bone of contention. The issue of a minimum wage remains unresolved despite the fact the government has acknowledged that the current wage structure needs revision, but has done nothing tangible to ensure that a rational pay structure is put together.
No doubt the existing minimum wage is grossly inadequate. In the first place the amount was fixed half a decade ago, and it is below the minimum wage in many other sectors. The minimum wage must be tagged to the rate of inflation and should provide the basic minimum for a family of four to keep body and soul together. Whatever happened to the idea of providing the workers ration at subsidized rates? What about better working conditions and daycare centre for the mothers at the factory premise?
We feel that there is need for a channel of communication to remove misunderstanding and mistrust between the owners and workers and for this trade union rights should be awarded to the workers.
We suggest that the matter be addressed by all the relevant stakeholders urgently. The grievances of the garment workers are genuine, and need credible action. Tossing about various figures of minimum wage by the owners and the government is unrealistic. Reasonable criterion must be applied in fixing the wage that should take into account the interest of the owners as well as the workers. The propensity to see outside manipulation in the matter be abjured, instead the owners and the relevant ministries must hone in on the real issue.
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