Staff Report

Tk 12,500 as the monthly salary for RMG workers has been finalized for minimum wages raising it from Tk 8,000 which will be effective from December 1.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian announced the decision on Tuesday. She said, “Our prime minister made the decision verbally, and I asked everyone to follow this.”

“Workers demanded rationing for them, and the government has planned to start this. Prime minister decided to issue family cards for the RMG workers to ease their livelihood,” Monnujan said.

In the sixth meeting of the wages board on Tuesday, the RMG owners’ representative proposed Tk 12,500 as the monthly salary, but the workers’ representative denied this. Amid the situation, the board sent the proposal to the PM for review.

Besides, the minimum wages board for the RMG sector increased basic to 63 per cent, and reduced designation grades from 7 to 5. In addition, a 5 per cent annual increment also continues as per the labour law.

But the protesting workers are demanding a monthly minimum wage of Taka 23,000 (US $ 208). Unions have raised concerns about the involvement of garment factory owners, some of whom are ministers and influential lawmakers, in setting the minimum wage during previous negotiations.

Workers are refusing the proposal and will inform the committee about their reaction soon.

It is a vital question to all stakeholders that how much money is sufficient so that the workers are not staging any protest for wage hike in the next few years. It should be measured the workers demand of Tk 23000 minimum wages is irrational or not. The stakeholders should aware that the workers are human and if they are satisfied their will be congenial atmosphere at working place.

The wage board should recognize the real need of the workers. The owners should consider the workers as their family member. If they consider their opponent their will not be any good industrial practice happens.