Tannery workers demand implementation of minimum wage

Business Report :

Tannery workers’ union demanded the immediate implementation of the minimum wage for tannery workers as per the government decision.

Addressing a press conference at The Daily Star Centre in the capital on Tuesday, union also called for payment of legal dues of the workers and taking effective steps to sign a bilateral agreement with the workers’ union, as previously promised by the owners.

Earlier , on 21 November last year the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) declared a gazette announcing a new wage structure for tannery workers.

Tk. 25,000 was fixed as the minimum wage based on the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Board, with the consent of both owners’ and workers’ representatives. However, it has still not been implemented, they said.

They alleged that instead of implementing the declared minimum wage, tannery owners are now trying to classify long-serving workers, even those working for 10-15 years, as temporary workers in an attempt to deprive them of the legally mandated wage. This is fully against the Labour Act, they mentioned.

Nearly two years have passed since the declaration of the minimum wage gazette, but its non-implementation has deeply frustrated workers and may lead to an unstable situation, they added.
Workers’ leaders further said the owners are attempting to terminate skilled, long-term workers and bring in new workers through middlemen, thereby depriving the terminated workers of their dues. They alleged that efforts are being made to informalize the sector, putting workers’ livelihoods and industry stability at risk.