The alliance of 11 garment workers’ organizations is adamant in demanding 25,000 rupees salary

The labor unions filed objections rejecting the newly announced wages and demanding immediate payment of Tk 25,000 minimum wages to garment workers including 65 percent basic.

In the pay structure announced on November 7, only entry-level employees have received a 56.25 percent hike. 20 to 28 percent pay hike in other grades.

The workers rejected this pay structure.

An alliance of 11 labor organizations ‘Garment Sramik Andolan’ has submitted a letter of objection with seven-point demands to the Wage Board and Minister of State for Labor and Employment Mannujan Sufian on Sunday.

They demanded to revise the salary structure before publication of the new salary structure gazette.

They demanded a trial for ‘labor murder’ during the wage hike movement and compensation to the families of the victims equal to the victim’s lifetime earnings. Besides, they demanded proper treatment and compensation for the injured.

They said that cases, arrests, dismissals and torture against the workers should be stopped. Section 13(1) of the Labor Act shall cease to apply. Those arrested must be released and false cases must be withdrawn.

To stop grade discrimination, instead of 7 grades, 5 grades should be done. They also demanded that wages should be increased at the same rate in each grade.

President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Farooq Hasan said yesterday that senior workers will not be given the same rate of increase in salary as they were earlier.

“Entry-level workers are always getting higher salaries,” he said.