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UPDATE (Dec. 9th, 2023): Following the massive wave of strikes and protests in various industrial areas and the announcements of the new minimum wage of 12 500 BDT by the wage board, things calmed down inside the factories and on the streets for now. Labour unions reject this new minimum wage and will keep fighting for higher wages. Currently labour union activists face repression (terminations, lawsuits, physical attacks) and keep acting from the underground. Once the garment workers received their first payslips with the new wage structure and after the general elections on January 7th 2024, the GWTUC expects garment workers to re-activate the wage movement.
Updates will be published here and inside the NEWS section. Stay tuned.

For the past few months garment workers in various parts of Bangladesh took to the streets in their struggle for a proper increase in basic minimum wage. Up until December 2023 garment workers received a minimum wage of 8 000 BDT (73 USD) per month, which was set in 2018. Labour unions demand an increase to at least 23 000 BDT, the Garment Workers’ Trade Union Center (GWTUC) fights for a minimum wage of 25 000 BDT. On November 7th, following a week of intense strikes, blockades and street protests, the wage board announced an increase of the minimum wage to 12 500 BDT, effective from December 2023. Unions reject this decision and announced to continue the fight for a proper living wage. Workers – especially with families – are unable to survive with a monthly income of 12 500 BDT (113 USD) only.

Consequently the GWTUC calls on unions and fellow workers worldwide to support the fighting garment workers in their struggle. Confrontations inside the factories and on the streets are intense. Five workers already lost their lives, some of whom were shot dead by police.
Check out the call below or download the pdf.

Not only factory owners but also the brands sourcing from those factories are major profiteers of the workers’ sweat and labour. The products end up in stores worldwide. Therefore: Let’s globalise this fight, take it to the streets and confront the brands!
Note: Some brands released a statement directed at the president of Bangladesh asking for the conflict to be resolved as soon as possible. But statements are not enough. The retailers must ensure that the factories they source from pay a minimum wage of 25 000 BDT!

This NEWS section provides updates on the movement continuously.

CONTACT

To announce or share reports on your actions, drop a line at: garmentworkerssolidarity@globalmayday.net | globalmayday@lists.riseup.net (mailing list)

MATERIALS

Download the leaflet (A5) as a pdf.