Respect for workers’ rights remains a challenging area, with a particular urgency as regards freedom of association, according to the third annual report on progress achieved in the Bangladeshi garment sector through the Sustainability Compact released by the European Commission in Brussels on Friday. ‘While some improvements can be noted, sizeable efforts still need to be made to ensure that real change takes place and is sustained over the long term’, it said. Launched in July 2013, the Sustainability Compact aims to promote continuous improvements as regards respect for labour rights and factory safety in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh.The initiative brings together the European Union, the Government of Bangladesh, the main markets for Bangladeshi garment production including the United States and Canada, and the International Labour Organisation. The Compact also played a key role in opening up and supporting a dialogue on working conditions for employees of Bangladeshi garment sector with trade unions, employers, buyers and NGOs. As regards improvement of legislative nature, the EU expects further development in labour-related legislation and enforcement of the existing rules in full compliance with the fundamental rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, as defined by the ILO. Those rights should be granted to all workers, without exception, including to those in the export processing zones. The EU also drew attention to the need for more effective investigation and prosecution of alleged cases of anti-union discrimination and unfair labour practices. Room for improvement also exists as regards registration procedures for new workers’ unions, which should ensure expeditious and non-arbitrary processing of applications, it said. On administrative aspects, the report points at the need for a new strategy for safety inspections and remediation, ensuring effective coordination between key Bangladeshi regulators with competences in that area. The EU also calls for further reinforcement of administrative capacities through recruitment and training of inspectors and for a full transparency as regards the outcomes of factory inspections. Further to that, the EU report underlines the need for continuous education, training and capacity building on issues such as labour rights, and occupational safety and health.
