Garment Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (G-SKOP) has demanded that the garment workers be paid their salary for April and festival allowances within the first week of May. At the same time, they condemned the call of the state minister for labour and employment to pay salaries and bonuses by May 10.
They made the demand and expressed their condemnation in a written statement signed by the coordinators of the association, Abdul Wahed and Kamrul Ahsan on Friday.
The council leaders said in the statement that although everything has been declared closed during the lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus infection, garment workers are working risking their lives. Various incentives have been announced for government officials and bank officials for working in this risky situation. But no announcement of risk allowances has been made for garment workers, who are the main sources of foreign exchange earnings.
Although most of the workers’ organizations, including G-SKOP, demanded the payment of workers' salaries and allowances by 20th Ramadan, that is by May 3, the Ministry of Labor ignored their demands and directed the owners to pay salaries and allowances by May 10 to provide them with special benefits.
Leaders of the Garments Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad said that the banks would be closed on May 6 and May 7 due to bank holidays, and on May 10 for Shab-e-Qadr. This will give the owners a chance to make excuses. Opportunity-seeking owners will deprive workers of the opportunity to celebrate Eid with their families. Influenced by the garment industry owners, the government paved the way for the deprivation of workers.
The leaders further said that the workers will have to be paid the salary of April, including the Eid bonus within the first week of May. And if any untoward situation arises due to non-payment of salary-bonus on time, the owners of the garment industry will have to take the responsibility.
