Bangladesh Garments Workers Unity Council

The Bangladesh Garments Workers Unity Council (BGWUC) is a national trade union centre in Bangladesh. The centre unites 21 garment worker trade union federations.[2]

Not to be confused with Garment Workers Unity Forum.
BGWUC
Bangladesh Garments Workers Unity Council
Founded1997
Location
Key people
Mahatab Uddin Shahid, president[1]
Salauddin Shapon, secretary general
Amirul Haque Amin, chairman
Parent organization
National Garment Workers Federation

Programme

Full pay and bonuses

BGWUC has repeatedly called for the full and timely payment of due wages and bonuses to workers. For example, in January 2006, BGWUC organised demonstrations in front of the headquarters of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), demanding the payment of Eid-ul-Azha bonuses for garment workers.[3] Factory owners again delayed salary and Eid al-Fitr bonus payment in 2008, 2013 and 2018, and BGWUC again called for their timely payment.[4][5][6]

Minimum wage

Another feature of BGWUC demonstrations are calls for an increase of the minimum wage. For example, BGWUC organised demonstrations calling for an increase of the 1994 minimum wage to 1,800 taka (~€17,5/$21,2) in September 2004.[7] BGWUC again demanded an increase of the minimum wage to 1,800 taka and the full implementation of existing agreements with the BGMEA in 2005.[8] In 2010, BGWUC organised demonstrations in front of Dhaka's National Press Club demanding an increase of the minimum wage to 5,000 taka.[9] In 2018, BGWUC and other labour rights organisations demanded an increase of the minimum wage to 16,000 taka.[10]

Celebrations

BGWUC also regularly takes parts in celebrations of important holidays, especially International Workers' Day and Bangladesh's victory day. For example, BGWUC was among the many Bangladeshi trade unions and other organisations who organised programmes for the 2004 May Day.[11] The trade union also organised celebrations of that year's May Day and Victory Day in 2006.[12][13] In 2009, BGWUC took part in the annual celebrations of Martyred Intellectuals Day.[14]

Criticism

The activities of BGWUC have been criticized by scholars for following a repetitive pattern since its founding in 1997: First, the announcement of tough demands by BGWUC and reluctance by the BGMEA to negotiate; second, BGWUC conducting a strike and BGMEA being eager to come to an agreement; and third, after the end of public attention, the refusal of BGMEA to implement the agreement. This has been described as a "prime example of the unions' inadequacy" and an indication of "labour's impotence".[15]

History

The BGWUC was founded in 1997 by the National Garment Workers Federation and six other trade union federations.[2]

In 2004, BGWUC organised demonstrations calling for the compensation for victims of the 2004 Bangladesh floods and the full implementation of existing agreements with the BGMEA.[7] At another demonstration in that month, BGWUC called for the arrest of the murderers of Rahela, a garment worker who had been raped and murdered in August.[16][17]

In May 2005, BGWUC conducted a hunger strike in Muktangon, calling for better compensation for the victims of the 2005 Dhaka garment factory collapse and demanding exemplary punishment of the factory's owners.[18][19]

In September 2008, BGWUC demanded factory owners issue their workers identity cards that through a government scheme would allow them to buy food and other commodities at a discount. According to BGWUC, half of Bangladesh's garment workers had at that point not been issued an identity card. The trade union also protested the deployment of police in garment factories, saying this had turned them into jails.[20] In 2011, the trade union centre again called on the government to ensure the delivery of documents, including identity cards, to workers.[21]

Following the 2012 Dhaka garment factory fire, BGWUC organised mourning processions and demonstrations calling for better compensations of victims and their families as well as better working conditions and union rights in the garment industry in general.[22][23]

In 2013, BGWUC criticised the newly passed Labour Law 2006. It said that a provision allowing factory owners not to pay workers accused of vandalism would be abused and that the law would allow the firing of workers without a specific reason.[24]

Affiliates

References
  1. "RMG workers demand wage, allowance by Ramadan 20". New Age. 2018-05-26. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  2. Abdullah Al Faruque (2009). Current Status and Evolution of Industrial Relations System in Bangladesh (PDF) (Report). ILO. pp. 23–24. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  3. Tanim, Faizul Khan (2006-01-09). "Garment workers' never-ending fight for Eid bonus". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  4. "RMG workers pile pressure for pay, bonus". The Daily Star. 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  5. "Garment workers demonstrate in city demanding arrears, bonus". The Daily Star. 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  6. "Pay RMG workers' wages 10 days before Eid: BGWUC". The Financial Express. 2018-05-27. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  7. "'Implement agreements'". The Daily Star. 2004-09-07. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  8. "Garment workers urge govt to raise wage". The Daily Star. 2005-04-12. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  9. "Garment workers demand minimum pay hike to Tk 5,000". The Daily Star. 2010-01-24. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  10. "RMG labour rights bodies demand Tk 16,000 as minimum wage". The Financial Express. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  11. "May Day today". The Daily Star. 2004-05-01. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  12. "Historic 'May Day' tomorrow". bdnews24.com. 2006-04-29. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  13. "Nation celebrates Victory Day". bdnews24.com. 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  14. "Call to start trial of war criminals without delay". The Daily Star. 2009-12-14. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  15. Rahman, Zia; Langford, Tom (2012). "Why labour unions have failed Bangladesh's garment workers". In Mosoetsa, Sarah; Williams, Michelle (eds.). Labour in the Global South. Challenges and Alternatives for Workers (PDF). ILO. p. 99. ISBN 978-92-2-126239-8.
  16. "Fulfil 11-point demand to face post-MFA situation". The Daily Star. 2004-09-25. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  17. Al Mahbub, Abdullah (2007-10-31). "The Rahela case". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  18. "Spectrum Factory Collapse: More compensation demanded". The Daily Star. 2005-05-27. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  19. "Hunger strike observed in city demanding compensation for Spectrum victims". bdnews24.com. 2005-05-25. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  20. "RMG workers demand bonus by Ramadan 20". The Daily Star. 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  21. "RMG workers demand food rationing". The Daily Star. 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  22. "Citizens demand justice for deaths in Ashulia fire". The Daily Star. 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  23. "Factory owners, Government, Buyers and BGMEA should take effective step so that not a single Garment worker in future has to die in factory-fire like that of the 125 workers of Tazreen Garments of Nischintopur in Ashulia" (PDF) (Press release). National Garment Workers Federation. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  24. "Labour law serves owners' interests". The Daily Star. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2020-12-12.


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