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Workers agree on new wage

Sit with gout and owners, pledge an end to violence

Staff Correspondent
The workers' representatives yesterday agreed to the new pay structure for garment sector and pledged cooperation to ensure normal work environment in industrial areas.
They made the commitments at a meeting with ministers, lawmakers, chamber leaders and garment owners at the BGMEAoffice in the capital.
Labour representative Amirul Haque Amin said the workers had agreed to the new wage structure and to resume work today.
“We have no disagreements about the new wage structure. We denounce violence in garment factories," he said.
Amin urged factory owners to reconsider the pay of the workers under grade-Vand VI.
Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who attended the meeting, formed three committees with representatives from
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the government, owners and workers to curb labour unrest in garment sector.
The committees start functioning today in Dhaka, Ashulia and Narayanganj with an aim to save the garment industry from vandalism, the minister told journalists after the hour-long meeting.
"I hope the garment industry will not witness any unrest from tomorrow (today] as the labour leaders of 42 organisations agreed to the new wage structure," he said.
The minister asked the wage board to review worker pay under grade-V and VI as demanded by the labourers. The board still has two weeks for a review.
He assured the owners that enough law enforcers will be deployed in the troubled industrial zones to ward off violence.
The minister said the new wage structure will take effect from November 1, which is earlier than it takes to implement any new pay scale. In line with the law, owners get at least six months to put any new structure in place.
He said the government will investigate the matter to find out the people involved in vandalism for the last few days.
The minister said rice rationing for garment workers will start soon.
Mosharraf also said he had already held talks with the World Bank about housing for garment workers. He said dormitories for labourers in the Export Processing Zones will be constructed soon.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan called for responsible trade unions. He said some people often resort to malpractice in the name of trade union.
"The government will not tolerate it," he said.
The minister alleged that some non-governmental organisations instigate violence in the name of awareness programmes.
He also called for formation of participatory committees in factories.
AK Azad, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Salim Osman, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Abdus Salam
Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association spoke at the meeting.
The labour and employment minister announced the new wage structure for garment sector on Thursday in line with the recommendations of the minimum wage board.
The board recommended Tk 3,000 for minimum wage for an entry-level worker under grade-VII, Tk 9,300 for a worker under grade-I and Tk 2,500 for an apprentice.
The announcement provided the spark for protests by a section of garment workers, who rejected the new pay structure.