The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has known as for rapid reforms in wage structures and labour laws in Bangladesh’s prepared-made garment (RMG) sector to handle the ongoing worker grievances and labour unrest.
In an announcement issued yesterday (29 September), the organisation stresses that wage restructuring and improved labour protections are important for attaining sustainable industrial family members between employers and employees, ensuring both horny wages and long-term peace within the sphere.
The ILO mentioned it’s carefully monitoring labour unrest within the RMG and varied sectors, which has brought consideration to systemic factors desiring urgent resolution.
In its assertion, the organisation underlined the importance of social dialogue, urging all stakeholders, employers, employees, and authorities representatives to possess interplay in optimistic discussions to uphold employees’ rights whereas affirming the commercial viability of the industry.
The ILO also counseled the RMG industry for the landmark settlement reached on 24 September between employees and employers within the Ashulia place on the outskirts of Dhaka.
This settlement came after days of escalating labour unrest, which has raised hopes for harmonious industrial family members and long-term peace within the sphere, it mentioned within the assertion.
Social dialogue, which entails collaboration among varied stakeholders to procure solutions and resolve disputes, is a extremely valuable tool for horny governance, reads the ILO assertion.
“It no longer only supports sustainable industry practices and better working instances but additionally contributes to advancing social justice and first charge work for all,” it added.
The ILO identified five key areas where action is required:
Wage structure and coverage reform: ILO instantaneous creating an proof-essentially based, gender-responsive national wage coverage is necessary for traditional and horny wage environment.
It believes reforming the minimum wage mechanism and ensuring inclusive consultations between employers and employees would possibly lend a hand take care of wage-associated grievances, including the switch in direction of offering residing wages.
It mentioned sectoral wage boards and solid collective bargaining mechanisms have to be established to conclude and de-escalate unrest associated to wages and dealing instances.
Labour law reform and reinforced upright protections: ILO believes amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act, aligned with global labour requirements, are wished to elongate coverage to all employees, including those within the informal sector and export processing zones (EPZs).
The reform have to strengthen mechanisms for resolving labour disputes, strengthen wage protections, and simplify the processes for switch union registration, reads the assertion.
A solid national industrial family members machine: ILO mentioned a sturdy and clear national industrial family members machine is necessary for addressing disputes early and combating them from escalating into violence.
This have to contain the introduction of an impartial different dispute resolution institution and reforms to the labour court docket machine to present a enhance to case management.
It believes addressing anti-union discrimination instances is also a foremost step toward selling industrial peace.
Social protection: ILO mentioned the Employment Injury Design, at demonstrate piloted for garment employees, have to be institutionalised, legislated, and gradually extended to varied sectors.
It believes that establishing a comprehensive social protection machine, aligned with ILO conventions, will enhance employees’ safety and smartly-being whereas bettering Bangladesh’s global competitiveness.
Occupational safety and smartly being (OSH): The ILO impressed the Govt of Bangladesh to ratify OSH conventions No 155 and No 187 and to ranking a comprehensive national OSH machine.
The organisation believes this will promote a culture of safety across all sectors of the economy.
The ILO known as on all stakeholders to work to present a enhance to the commercial family members machine thru optimistic social dialogue. This collaboration is necessary no longer only for the soundness of the RMG sector but additionally for the broader financial and social smartly-being of Bangladesh, it mentioned.
“Through shared effort and dedication, we are optimistic that nonetheless and productive industrial family members would possibly furthermore fair furthermore be completed, benefiting all occasions eager,” ILO mentioned in its assertion.
The assertion mentioned ILO Director-General Gilbert F Houngbo met with Dr Muhammad Yunus, the interim authorities’s chief adviser, on 26 September 2024 on the sidelines of the United Countries General Meeting (UNGA) in New York to jabber about the interim authorities’s priorities.
The discussions all in favour of employment creation and labour reforms, and the ILO’s characteristic in supporting these initiatives.
In the ILO assertion, the organisation mentioned it stays dedicated to supporting Bangladesh on its rush in direction of sustainable and inclusive financial enhance, underpinned by the promotion of first charge work, labour rights, and social justice.
