B'desh garment workers continue stir against new wages

Last Updated: Monday, August 02, 2010, 15:04

Tags: Bangladesh, Garment workers, New wages

B`desh garment workers continue stir against new wages

Dhaka: Bangladesh's garment factory workers on Monday continued their protests against a new wage structure announced by the government. The industrial violence has forced suspension of production in at least 350 units.

The workers held a demonstration in Narayanganj industrial suburb on Monday, although their representatives had agreed on Sunday to the newly announced pay structure and pledged cooperation to ensure normal work environment, reported Star Online, the website of The Daily Star.

Vehicular movement on Dhaka-Narayanganj link road came to a halt since morning as workers put barricades on the road, rejecting the wage structure and demanding Taka 5,000 (USD 86) as minimum monthly pay.

At least 350 garment factories in Savar, Ashulia and Fatulla suspended production on Sunday after the workers clashed with police, injuring over 100 people.

The angry labourers damaged nearly 150 business establishments and vandalised more than 50 vehicles.

The factories called off production after the workers demonstrated against the new wage structure the second consecutive day. Three factories in Ashulia were shut down indefinitely.

Industrial violence spread to the Chittagong port city, according to New Age newspaper.

The government last week fixed Taka 2,500 for an apprentice and Taka 3,000 (USD 46) for a worker as the entry pay, up from Taka 1,660 (USD 25).

Employing 3.5 million workers, readymade garments and knitwear are Bangladesh's top export earners, netting USD 12 billion last year.

The sector has, however, suffered due to recurring industrial violence due to low wages and poor working conditions.

IANS

First Published: Monday, August 02, 2010, 15:04

Comments

Neil - Chittagong, Bagie
There are two pay structures, one outside the Export zones, and one inside. You have mentioned the pay structure for outside the zone.

Basically, people get $55, $61, $67 or $109 for garments work now. That is excellent money in Bangladesh.

Not all protests are legitimate. Protest is a money making business here. The biggest exploiters of the poor are other poor people. You could term this a `brown on brown` in military terms.

Unions in Bangladesh are horribly corrupt. People initiate protests in order to make money, when they make a deal. They tell workers crazy things like they can make $5,000 a month in order to get them to hand over union dues that keep the corrupt guys family going. It is very sad.

Why don`t people pay huge wages here? Because not everything depends on the poor workers. You need to import everything, as the country produces almost no elemental or component materials. So we are more expensive than China. We depend on roads that are increasingly clogged. More union guys fuck up the ports. Customs are thieves who should be uted. All of these factors lower the value of peoples Labor. Sad, but true.