Clear wages, Eid bonuses by May 10: RMG workers
Garment Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (GSKOP), an alliance of 20 worker associations, today demanded the payment of wages and Eid bonuses by May 10.
In a statement, GSKOP joint coordinators -- Abdul Wahed and Karmul Ahsan -- alleged that over thirty percent factories didn't pay Eid bonus (festival allowance) while a lot more than 75 percent factories are yet to disburse wages for the month of April, despite the fact that only 5-6 days are left for Eid-ul Fitr.
They said despite the fact that the RMG workers kept apparel factories operational by risking their lives amid the Covid-19 pandemic, "intelligence reports" indicate many factories are unlikely to pay the wages and allowances prior to the Eid.
They demanded the payment of wages of April and a simple wage of 1 month as Eid festival allowance by next Monday.
The GSKOP leaders also demanded the announcement of at least a seven-day alternative leave for the apparel factory staff when the spread of coronavirus infection will be under control.
They said the export earning was $3.13 billion alone last month but many apparel employees still have no idea whether they can celebrate Eid after acquiring wages and allowances.
The RMG export earning was $27.95 billion in the 2019-20 fiscal year and $18.40 billion in the first seven months (July-January) of the current fiscal year of 2020-21, according to statistics supplied by GSKOP.
The factory owners earlier took loans of Tk 10,500 crore at nominal interest from the stimulus fund for the payment of wages and allowances. This time around, they sought loans of Tk 10,000 crore again for the payment of workers' wages and allowances before this Eid, the GSKOP leaders claimed.
