The bulk of the complaints received by a telephone helpline that offers support for readymade garment (RMG) workers are related to wage payment and job termination, sources said.They also said that the procedures for settlement of grievances are very slow and the settlement rate is poor, proving ineffectiveness of the service.Even majority workers are also not aware of the service due to lack of an awareness raising campaign, they added.The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) launched the helpline service on March 15 in 2015 mainly to address the workers’ grievances.Since then, some 15,600 calls were logged and the number of complaints stood at 2,387 as of March 2018, according to official data.”Of the complaints, 40 per cent are related to wages/salaries and 21 per cent to job termination,” according to the latest report of the Sustainability Compact, an initiative adopted by the European Union, US, Canada and International LabourOrganisation (ILO) to improve factory safety.The initiative was taken immediately after the Rana Plaza building collapse and Bangladesh signed an agreement with the Sustainability Compact partners mainly to improve labour rights and factory safety in the country’s RMG industry.The Sustainability Compact partners called on the government recently to take steps to increase effectiveness of the telephone helpline and raise awareness among workers.Some 72 per cent of complaints came from workers in the RMG sector and 82 per cent of calls were made by men, the report said.Of the total complaints, only 459 were resolved, it said, adding: “While the helpline remains operational, it is important that the ability of relevant regulatory bodies to handle and resolve grievances is improved in order to build confidence in the helpline.”Awareness efforts should seek to target female RMG workers in order to boost their use of the helpline, the report said, suggesting consideration whether the Alliance helpline can be incorporated.The Alliance-launched helpline received more than 2,33,000 inbound calls from workers since its inception in December 2014.Of the issues, more than 80 per cent have been resolved, according to its officials.Meanwhile, rights groups urged the government to make the service effective and strong, saying that the helpline by the Alliance is more functional and effective in addressing the complaints lodged by its listed factory workers.When asked, ShamsuzzamanBhuiyan, inspector general of DIFE, admitted that the small number of complaints is due to lack of awareness among workers about the service.He, however, said the DIFE is taking steps for the publicity of the helpline, such as publishing posters and stickers that would be pasted to the walls of every factories and public transport.Responding to a question over slow progress in the settlement of complaints, he said two to four sittings are needed to resolve some problems.Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh Garment Workers and Employees League, suggested involving the trade unions in the efforts to inform workers of the government-launched service and make it effective at a time when the Western retailers’ platforms are scheduled to leave the country this year.
