Following a meeting with government officials, state-owned jute mill workers have ended their strike — as well as all protests and blockade programs.
Jute Mill Workers’ League Khulna region President Md Murad Hossain told Dhaka Tribune, around 12:15am Tuesday, that the strike ended after a fruitful meeting in Dhaka, on Monday evening.
The government representatives have assured workers that they will pay them 10 weeks of arrears, on April 25; and include all workers in the National Wage Commission attendance sheets by May 18, he said.
“We will have another meeting on May 8, at the Jute Ministry, and we will discuss our remaining seven demands,” he added.
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A press release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Monday night — that was signed by the BJMC chairman and leaders of different worker organizations — confirmed fixing workers' wages by May 17.
However, the press release made no mention of implementing a new wage scale.
The release stated that the decisions were taken during a meeting among: the State Minister for Labour Monnujan Sufian, Labour Department DG Md Mizanur Rahman, the BJMC chairman, jute mill workers’ leaders, plus CBA and non-CBA leaders.
The decisions taken include fixing workers' wages by May 17 and issuing wage slips by May 18; clearing all arrears by April 25; and one-week's wages marking the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.
The release also mentioned another round of talks between the BJMC and the workers' leaders, which is scheduled to be held on May 8.
