RMG owners emphasise productivity, workers higher wage

The president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has called on the workers to cooperate with the entrepreneurs in raising their wages as per a government-brokered deal.

Despite reservations about 'poor increase' in wages in some cases, the representatives of the workers said they have accepted the package for the time being expecting that the prime minister would ensure in near future that their wages are readjusted upwardly.

The wages for the workers of the country's number one export earning sector were revised under a tripartite agreement between the owners, workers' leaders and the government representatives on Sunday, following a week's unrest in the sector over the issue of wages.

"The wages that were offered in the new structure were already a burden for us, the owners. And in the context of workers' protest, what has been revised as wages would be a further burden. But we've accepted as the prime minister gave us the guidance," said BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman.

He expressed hope that the workers would now go back to the factories peacefully and contribute to increasing productivity so that the new wages could be implemented smoothly.

The representatives of the workers, too, said they welcomed the prime minister's intervention but said the discrepancies should be addressed.

"I don't know exactly when much of this readjustment of the wages would be acceptable to the workers. However, we urge them to resume work," said Babul Akter, president of Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation.

He pointed out that wage hike stood at Tk 15 in grade VI and Tk 20 in the grade V.

Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito (Combined) Garments Workers' Federation, added that wage increase is higher in grade III -- Tk 255 and that should have been followed in other grades.

She regretted that basic wages had not been raised significantly since 2010 although fringe benefits increased.

"When basic salary is lower, the fringe benefits automatically become lower. So, what we need is increase in wages," she said and expressed the hope that the prime minister would look into the issue of relevance of wage hike in the coming days.

The BGMEA president, however, said they would not be able to deliver higher wages, as recommended, unless there is a smooth operation. "Alongside resuming operation of factories, the workers have to think about their productivity," he said adding that if the workers do not respond to their call, they would conclude that vested quarters are there behind the workers' demonstration.