Only seven trade unions in the readymade garment industry out of 126 registered are actively working to promote the rights of workers, a new study says.
The key impediment for most trade unions not being functional is harassment and assaults by the factory management, finds the study titled “Organising Trade Unions in the RMG Sector 2010-14.”
It states that two trade unions received registrations in 2011 and 2012, while the number increased to 81 last year, but has come down to 43 this year.
The findings of the study – conducted by Solidarity Centre – were revealed yesterday at a social dialogue programme styled “Industrial Relation and Sustainable Development of RMG Industry in Bangladesh: Role of National and International Stakeholders.” Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) organised the event in the city’s Brac Inn.
Alonzo Glenn Suson, executive director of Solidarity Centre, said around 20% of the workers engaged with the trade unions found it difficult to operate due to torture by the members of the factory officials.
Quoting recent studies of the BILS, speakers said at least 1,063 industrial unrests took place from January 2010 to June 2013. Most of these incidents could have been avoided had there been the practice of bipartite dialogue at the factory level and tripartite dialogue at national level.
One of the main reasons behind those outbursts was the absence of dispute settlement through discussions.
Michael Sommer, president of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and chairman of German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB), said: “Unified trade unions are a must to ensure the workers’ rights. Employers and government need to provide more space for the unions to operate.”
He suggested having a regular social dialogue in every two months represented by the unions to address the problems.
Sommer stressed the need for ensuring safe work places, and equitable and economically sustainable wage growth, reliable cooperation and accountability structures between workers and employers. “So, Accord should be fully implemented.”
On February 20, the Accord, a platform of 150 European retailers, launched the first phase of inspection and inspected over 225 factories for fire and electrical safety and over 180 factories were inspected for structural safety. On the other hand, the Alliance for Workers Safety in Bangladesh had inspected 305 factories and found no faults.
Roy Ramesh Chandra, secretary general of IndustriAll Bangladesh Council, suggested formation of a separate trust fund for the RMG workers. “The owners will pay Tk5 per worker and the workers will pay the same amount every month. The buyers will give 10 cents. This fund can be used for the betterment of the workers.”
The former Jatiya Sramik League leader said the workers could also sit with the buyers in order to ensure their rights.
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahammed, assistant executive director of BILS, said the owners ignored the basic needs of millions of workers’, especially their accommodation and medical facilities.
Mikail Shiper, secretary of Labour and Employment Ministry, said: “The National Crisis Management Committee headed by the labour minister was formed to address the workers’ rights issue.”
Srinivas Reddy, country director of the International Labour Organisation, said the RMG sector was vital for Bangladesh to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and reduce poverty.
