Strike in garment sector must end before it spreads
WORKERS unrest in the garment sector is only spreading to more factories although it still remains contained in Ashulia industrial belt in the outskirt of the capital. Latest disclosure said at least 80 garment factories have put their shutter closed as of Thursday as against 55 in the previous day rendering over 250,000 workers out of jobs. Many fear that the detention of garment workers’ leader Mushrefa Mishu from the Jatiya Press Club last afternoon as she appeared for a press conference to clear workers’ demands may make the situation further volatile. Unrest may spread in other industrial areas if the owners of garment factories and the government don’t change the confrontational course; which includes use of police power and preemptive closure of factories and cases against many garment workers by name and unnamed accused.
As per media reports garment workers resorted to agitation within the factories from last week demanding higher wages and some other trade union rights; which now exist in limited capacity under pressure of buyers and other international organizations. It is not true as the owners claim that they don’t know their demands. What is likely to be at stake is that once they will recognize their demands, they will be forced to open bargain to meet their demands; which they actually don’t want now fearing escalation in the cost of production and a decline in profits. But in our view instead of refusing, industry leaders must engage them in talks to avoid bigger industrial chaos. Many believe the government leaders instead of protecting garment factory owners may do a good job working as mediator.
All know it well that cost of living has escalated, particularly impacting the lives of the lower wage groups. The government can’t also avoid its accountability in causing inordinate rise in the cost of living. The present move to raise gas tariff and cost of water and electricity is bound to raise the cost of production by another round to force the common people and the industry to bear the load while serious questions have been raised from knowledgeable quarters on justification of such tariff hike.
In fact uncapped greed for revenue and high corruption and inefficiency in the government are pushing the authorities to periodic rise in utility prices without looking ways for reducing expenditure waste and corruption to reduce government spending. In our view the government is undermining the business environment and low cost living opportunity of people rising tariffs and taxes. Garment workers are agitating now; rights groups have threatened strikes next week to protest gas price hikes. It is true that using police power the government will be able to keep people off the streets as it is doing at Ashulia, but it is not a solution. Only an accountable government may be sensible to keep cost of doing business low down to keep peace in the society.
As per media reports garment workers resorted to agitation within the factories from last week demanding higher wages and some other trade union rights; which now exist in limited capacity under pressure of buyers and other international organizations. It is not true as the owners claim that they don’t know their demands. What is likely to be at stake is that once they will recognize their demands, they will be forced to open bargain to meet their demands; which they actually don’t want now fearing escalation in the cost of production and a decline in profits. But in our view instead of refusing, industry leaders must engage them in talks to avoid bigger industrial chaos. Many believe the government leaders instead of protecting garment factory owners may do a good job working as mediator.
All know it well that cost of living has escalated, particularly impacting the lives of the lower wage groups. The government can’t also avoid its accountability in causing inordinate rise in the cost of living. The present move to raise gas tariff and cost of water and electricity is bound to raise the cost of production by another round to force the common people and the industry to bear the load while serious questions have been raised from knowledgeable quarters on justification of such tariff hike.
In fact uncapped greed for revenue and high corruption and inefficiency in the government are pushing the authorities to periodic rise in utility prices without looking ways for reducing expenditure waste and corruption to reduce government spending. In our view the government is undermining the business environment and low cost living opportunity of people rising tariffs and taxes. Garment workers are agitating now; rights groups have threatened strikes next week to protest gas price hikes. It is true that using police power the government will be able to keep people off the streets as it is doing at Ashulia, but it is not a solution. Only an accountable government may be sensible to keep cost of doing business low down to keep peace in the society.
