17 April 2019 Dismissed workers on a blacklist Displaced workers are demanding their jobs back. Photo: @ FEMNET Shocking figures are reported by our partner organisations from Bangladesh: More than 3,000 workers are being charged, and more than 11,000 workers from 105 factories have been laid off since January 2019. Their names are on a blacklist, nowhere can they find a job. Their crime: They protested against the far too small increase in the monthly minimum wage to 8000 Taka (83,- EUR). The unions had demanded double that (166 euros), after all, the minimum wage has not been adjusted for 5 years. For the majority of workers, the basic wage hardly increases as a result of the revision. Hardly any family can live on the new minimum wage. Further background can be found in our Report of 16 January 2019. The factories specifically locked out the leaders. Many are also accused under pretexts: ‘We have been blamed by management for rioting in the factory for no reason. Since then, an arrest warrant has been issued against us and we no longer dare to go home because we are arrested there.’ The arrested and accused seamstresses cannot afford bail or legal fees. FEMNET therefore calls for donations: Support our Solidarity Fund and enable local organisations to finance such legal aid in this way. Here you will find our Call for donations to support workers in Bangladesh. Solidarity works!
