US apparel, labour associations urge Dr Yunus to release workers arrested during wage protests

The American Attire and Shoes Association (AAFA), the US nationwide commerce affiliation representing apparel, shoes and other sewn merchandise companies, and the Neutral Labor affiliation (FLA), a US non-profit organisation, decide up entreated the length in-between government of Bangladesh to correct away release those arrested real by the tumble 2023 protests over minimum wage.

They furthermore diagnosed as for the removal of all prison costs in opposition to those arrested over minimum wage protests on the time.

In a joint letter despatched the day prior to this (17 September) to Chief Adviser Dr Mohammad Yunus, they further entreated the length in-between government to run impulsively this 365 days to a transparent and frequent annual minimum wage overview mechanism for the garment, shoes, and commute goods industries, with all stakeholders on the table.

The two US associations argued that a transparent, annual minimum wage overview that fully involves all stakeholders, versus the present 5-365 days overview, permits the government to better answer to present financial conditions without imposing surprising, big burdens on the commerce or workers.

“To advertise harmonious industrial relatives and terminate future unrest, we whisk the length in-between government to quick restart tripartite discussions on the Bangladesh Labour Act and elevate the law into line with global labour standards,” reads the letter.

Calling for reforms that simplify the introduction and registration of independent commerce unions, including a important good purchase of the registration threshold, they furthermore entreated the government to lengthen penalties for unfair labour practices and lengthen plump labour rights to workers in the Export Processing Zones (EPZ).

In November 2023, over a hundred garment workers were arrested and spherical 15,000 were sued in dozens of conditions filed in reference to labour protests over the fixation of their minimum wage, union leaders decide up claimed.

In December 2023, the minimum wage for the RMG sector develop into elevated to Tk12,500 in the face of protests by workers across the nation. They had demanded a minimum wage differ between Tk23,000 and Tk25,000.