Garment workers yesterday rejected both figures proposed by their representative and that of garment owners as their minimum monthly wage.MdSiddiqur Rahman, who represents garment factory owners in a government board formed to recommend the wage, proposed raising it from Tk 5,300 to Tk 6,360, meaning a 20 percent increase. He revealed the figure at a meeting of the board on Monday when ShamsunNaharBhuiyan, who represents workers in the board, recommended raising it to Tk 12,020.At a press briefing in MuktiBhaban yesterday, leaders of Garment Workers Trade Union Kendra, an organisation of RMG workers, said representatives of all trade unions decided on Tk 16,000 as the wage and urged Bhuiyan to propose it.“ShamsunNahar is also a leader of the ruling political party and she proposed the minimum wage (Tk 12,020) ignoring the workers’ demand to fulfill the desires of owners,” said the Trade Union Kendra’s general secretary, JoliTalukder.She said had the representative proposed Tk 16,000 as they had decided, the workers could get a good deal through negotiations with the owners. Executive Secretary KaziRuhul Amin said the wage proposed by owners was not in line with the workers’ demand and did not reflect their needs.The speakers urged the government to quickly realise their demand of Tk 16,000, which includes a basic salary of Tk 10,000, otherwise they would go for tougher movement.They also declared to hold a rally near National Press Club on Friday morning and organise protest marches in every industrial area that day.
