Tag Archives: Trade Union

Authors: Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Fahmida Khatun, Tamim Ahmed, Kithmina Hewage and Anjana Pathirana The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major disruption to the global apparel value chain and has delayed its recovery in the medium term. Innovative strategies and tools ...

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.

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.

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.

A group of socially responsible investors has urged 160 major retailers who source clothes from Bangladesh to back the extension of an agreement which promotes the safety of millions of workers in garment factories in the South Asian nation.

Unions representing Bangladeshi textile workers have reached a landmark $2.3m settlement with a multinational apparel brand after it was accused of delays in remedying life-threatening hazards at its factories.

Labour leaders have alleged that the real representation of the readymade garment sector workers has been ignored in the wage board formed on Sunday for the RMG sector as the government has violated rules in appointing workers’ representative to the board.

Md Manjur Morshed, Senior Advisor, GIZ writes on trade union and RMG sector, “Today, in a few countries, it is not uncommon to have more than 20 trade unions in one factory, employing around 500 workers or even less. In such cases, it is difficult to understand how the majority of the workers are effectively represented or how their demands can be efficiently negotiated with the management.”

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Clifton’s Unhappy Trade Union: Workers from Clifton Deluxe Fashions Ltd blocked Baizid Bostami Road, Chittagong for an hour in the evening on Sunday, demanding that their factory's trade union election be held. This is a repeat situation as in 2007 and 2015. Savar RMG Workers for Minimum Wage ...