Minister sheds light on trade union in RMG factories

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain yesterday stressed the need for formation of trade unions in garment factories to establish good relations between employees and employers.
“If trade unions are formed, you (owners) will be able to properly manage your factories and laws can be enforced effectively… there is no alternative to forming trade union to ensure healthy industrial relationship,” he told a seminar at the DCCI auditorium in the city.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Bangladesh Society for Human Resource Management (BSHRM) jointly organised the seminar on “Employees and employers relationship: development perspective”.
Chaired by DCCI President M Sabur Khan, the seminar was also attended by the President of Bangladesh Employers' Foundation (BEF) Fazlul Hoque, Vice Chancellor of Daffodil University Lutfur Rahman, former DCCI president Asif Ibrahim, BGMEA Vice President Reaz-Bin-Mahmood, BSHRM Secretary General M Bahauddin Miah and consultant of ILO Dhaka office Francis DV De Silva.
Speaking as the chief guest, Mosharraf said if the trade unions are formed in the RMG sector, it will safeguard interests of the owners more than the employees.
“Many of us have bitter experience about trade unions. But if the trade union is set up properly, there will be no scope to politicise it,” he said,
About the announcement of fresh wages for RMG workers, the minister said nearly 40 lakh people now work in the RMG sector and the government will not compromise in matters of their rights.
The BEF president said a confidence gap has been prevailing between the workers and the owners in RMG sector. The owners of factories must take initiative to reduce this gap.
The DCCI president said employers should treat the employees respectfully, pay them fairly and provide good working conditions.
“Companies should be loyal to their workers. Employees also have moral obligations to the organisation and the customers. These obligations include loyalty, honesty and respect for each other.”
The BSHRM president made a power-point presentation at the seminar on  “Employees and employers relationship”.