Labour union leaders convened to propose amendments to current labour laws, advocating for a reduction in the threshold required for union formation from 20 per cent of workers to just 20 signatures. This change aims to promote greater freedom of association in workplaces, as stated by Nazma Akter, president of the Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, following a meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka.
Presently, the law mandates that 20 per cent of workers in a factory must sign in favour of forming a union. However, union representatives are pushing for a more accessible requirement of only 20 signatures. In contrast, factory owners have shown a willingness to lower the threshold to 10 per cent, aligning with recommendations from international bodies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Union (EU).
The meeting was part of a tripartite consultative committee, which includes members from the Government, factory owners, and union leaders, discussing potential amendments to labour laws. The Government aims to finalise these amendments by March.
In addition to the threshold issue, union leaders also called for changes to severance pay, proposing that workers who resign after a year of service should receive a full month’s salary instead of the current 14 days after five years of employment. This would provide more substantial support to workers who leave their jobs.
Furthermore, the representatives demanded an extension of maternity leave for female workers to six months with full pay, a significant increase from the current policy.
ANM Saifuddin, a member of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and participant in the consultative committee, noted that the committee had discussed 101 issues related to labour law reforms, successfully narrowing down the proposals from over 300.
Saifuddin mentioned that factory owners have agreed to a threshold reduction of 15 per cent, although some union leaders have suggested a more drastic cut to 10 per cent. Previously, the threshold was set at 30 per cent before being revised to 20 per cent, and now a proposal for 15 per cent is on the table.
On maternity leave, Saifuddin indicated that it was initially set at 112 days but has now been extended to 120 days following discussions.
Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman, who led the meeting, reported that consensus has been reached on 79 of the 101 proposed amendments. Discussions will continue on the remaining 22 proposals, with the next meeting scheduled for January 29.
