News & Press Releases - Living Wage now! © NGWF 21 November 2023 Ongoing violence in Bangladesh - Companies in the Textiles Partnership must finally show their colours Joint press release by FEMNET, SÜDWIND Institute, INKOTA network and HEJSupport Bonn/Berlin/Munich. The recently set minimum wage in Bangladesh for garment workers at 12,500 taka per month (106 euros) continues to lead to protests and riots. Workers are deliberately injured, abducted, wrongfully charged, imprisoned, imprisoned or even killed. However, there has been no concrete support for the trade unions' demands for a higher minimum wage from purchasing companies so far. Until 26.11.2023 is now the last opportunity to take an effective position. Workers have their arms and hands broken in a targeted manner In the course of the ongoing demonstrations, disproportionate violence and further punitive measures against garment workers continue. Four workers have already died, 115 workers have been detained, criminal charges have been filed against 23,000 demonstrators and more than 300 factories are currently refusing to pay wages. In addition, workers are intimidated by being monitored, locked up in factories or falsely charged. Their names are blacklisted. Workers are deliberately broken their arms and hands in order to deprive them of their livelihood as seamstresses.[1] Companies in the Textiles Partnership are in favour of a living wage, but do not follow up this with action Over the past two months, civil society organisations in the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles have been campaigning to send a joint letter to the Bangladeshi government and the BGMEA business association to support the unions' wage demands. However, the project failed because only three smaller companies were willing to sign the letter. "Such a letter, which contains a concrete request for a wage increase and is signed by companies with their logo, can make a big difference locally – and would be a sign that companies take their due diligence obligations seriously," says Dr. Gisela Burckhardt, CEO of FEMNET. Until 26 November, complaints can still be lodged with the Bangladeshi Wage Committee: "Textile companies must now break their silence and change their pricing policy," summarizes Berndt Hinzmann of INKOTA-netzwerk. Wages will still not be enough to live on Without further influence, the new minimum wage in Bangladesh will remain at the equivalent of 106 euros. "This means that seamstresses will continue to be forced to work countless overtime hours if they do not want to get into an over-indebtedness situation. Together with other grievances, the obligation to work overtime can certainly entail the risk of forced labor. Companies would therefore do well to ensure decent wages at their suppliers in Bangladesh“, says Dr. Sabine Ferenschild from the SÜDWIND Institute. Contact: Anne Munzert – FEMNET e.V. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 0175-8465 560 www.femnet.de Sources [1] Theguardian.com (aufgerufen am 15.11.2023) Press photo Download as high-resolution photo Protesting garment workers at a demonstration of the NGWF, Dhaka, Bangladesh © NGWF, Bangladesh Download the press announcement (PDF)
