Editorial
RMG workers' wage
BGMEA should accept recommendation
NOTWITHSTANDING opposition from the BGMEA, the wage board made public its recommendation for minimum wage in the sector to be Tk5,300. This brings to a close months of wrangling between workers' association and the BGMEA. Both sides have made significant concessions, but we are dismayed that the owners have rejected the proposal; we believe that this decision should not be turned down.
The BGMEA representative did not sign the agreement on the argument that the RMG sector would lose its competitiveness. But there are other ways of cutting cost of production instead of giving the workers lower wages, which happen to be lowest in the world. All arguments aside, unless the average garment worker can meet his / her basic requirements, the sector would not be able to attract employment. This is one argument that seems to have eluded our business leaders. We find it interesting to see the vehemence with which the proposal has been rejected, especially when the commission was forced to put the matter to vote, due to failure to reach a consensus – not once but thrice.
The board will send its recommendations to the ministry of labour and employment for final review. There is still time for BGMEA to move away from its rigid position and ink the deal. Failure to do so would risk losing out on sympathy of the people and the media at large.
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