Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Despite repeated calls from the union leaders for paying the workers of closed factories at least 65 percent of their gross salaries for April, the owners at a meeting yesterday refused to offer any more than 60 percent.

The factory owners said they would have another meeting in the middle of this month and might consider increasing the amount next month.

The workers will receive 60 percent of their gross salaries for April as per last week’s decision, said Mohammad Hatem, vice president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

Hatem told this to The Daily Star after the meeting attended by union leaders, factory owners and government high ups with Monnojan Sufian, state minister for labour and employment, in the chair at Sramabhaban in the capital.

The association leaders asked the member factories not to terminate or layoff any workers during this crisis moment.

“We do not agree with the owners’ decision to pay cut during the crisis. The decision is unlawful,” said Amirul Haque Amin, president of National Garment Workers Federation. Amin was also present in the yesterday meeting.

Sufian last week asked the factory owners to pay 60 percent gross salary to the workers for April.

The decision was taken as many workers could not join their workplaces after the operation was resumed.