Tag Archives: labour rights

More than 72 percent of the garment workers in Dhaka and Gazipur do not have any appointment letters, according to a survey conducted by Manusher Jonno Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.

The minimum wage board for the readymade garment workers in its first meeting on Monday decided that representatives of both factory owners and workers would submit separate proposals of minimum wages to the board before the next meeting to be held on April 25.

The government has decided to lower the membership requirement threshold for trade union registration up to 20 per cent in its draft amendments to the labour act after the International Labour Organisation expressed dissatisfaction over the threshold.

Despite being core driving force behind the RMG industry’s success, female RMG workers continues to face various problems including most of them experiencing verbal, mental, physical and sexual harassment from employers and colleagues.

There is an indication that a sizable share of RMG enterprises are likely to be situated at a level where they could either survive or they could become ‘uncompetitive’.

The percentage of workers whose consent is required for forming trade unions in garment factories will be brought down from 30 to 25, a government move apparently resulting from pressure from international communities.

A policy brief released by the International Labor Rights Forum urges governments, employers and worker organizations to support a new International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention and Recommendation to address gender-based violence in the world of work.

An ILO expert committee has expressed its dissatisfaction over the recent labour law amendment proposals by the Bangladesh government, saying that the proposal of minor reduction in the minimum membership requirements would not contribute to the free establishment of workers’ organisations in a large number of enterprises in the country.

Equal pay for equal work, the right to form a union—these, among other standards, protect workers from exploitation in the workplace globally.

Although Bangladesh has made remarkable recent strides like building green factories and meeting stringent safety standards, garment workers here are still paid one of the lowest minimum wages in the world.