News - #SolidarityWorks! NGWF remembers the Rana Plaza disaster seven years ago with seven candles. © NGWF 08 May 2020 NGWF's demands for Bangladeshi textile workers – Rana Plaza to be followed by COVID-19 Precarious working conditions and wages that serve scarcely to secure livelihoods. Textile workers are clearly feeling the COVID-19 crisis. The slump in Bangladesh's export business is having an impact on their shoulders. Demands for wages and fair treatment in the crisis are being made. The Rana Plaza disaster seven years ago exposed the precarious working conditions of the garment industry in Bangladesh. Bijoy (left in the picture in front) and Pervey (right in the picture in front) lost their parents when the factory building collapsed. Demands for penalties for Rana Plaza owners and textile manufacturers are still relevant today. NGWF also requires medical follow-up and rehabilitation for the injured and families of the deceased, including Bijoy and Pervey. The clothing industry has now entered a new crisis: COVID-19 leaves Bangladesh Exports down 85% year-on-year in April. Women in the clothing industry are disproportionately affected by these events. From Bangladesh we hear, among other things, from Hajera. Hajera works as a seamstress in a clothing factory. Her husband works in the same factory in the packaging department. The factory is closed, so the two have to stay at home. They live in a slum of Dhaka, which can hardly be described as a comfortable home. They hope that the factory will open again at any time, that the work can continue and that they will not lose their jobs. Hajera received from the factory 10,000 Taka (108 euros) as wages for March and overtime payment for February. But the salary is not enough for the upcoming costs, which they now have to pay in April. Her only son is seven years old and lives with Hajera's mother in Chuadanga. Every month they send money to know he's safely taken care of. Now the landowner of the slum demands the current rent for the house. In addition, Hajera has to pay back the food purchased on credit. She was already able to pay the grocery store 50,- EUR and the landowner 38,- EUR. The rest is not enough to survive and provide for the son. Your husband hasn't received his salary yet. Like Hajera, there are many in Bangladesh. Our partner organization NGWF reports that protests against incomplete or missing wage payments continue. The state has responded by launching a 50 million Taka relief fund for continued wage payments to employees in export-oriented companies. The workers are to be paid 60% of the wages for the month of April, others speak only of 49%. These ‘substitute wages’ are too low, and overtime pay is no longer paid, meaning that workers cannot survive. Quick help is needed – textile workers receive food and information on COVID-19. © NGWFThe outlook for the next few weeks remains extremely critical. Concerns about the future order situation and job opportunities remain and the reopening of factories causes controversy. Reportedly, almost 1,000 clothing factories until 2,000 factories In and around Dhaka, production has been "resumed without a plan" since 26 April 2020. This has led to an enormous influx of workers to Dhaka and other regions and increased the risk of infection accordingly. "The factory owners have violated their own decision by arbitrarily reopening the factories," said Amirul Haque Amin, president of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) and partner of FEMNET. NGWF calls for: Cancellation of licenses of the clothing industries that have not paid wages for the month of March No salary cuts from the month of March No delay for payment of April wages No dismissal of employees, but paid leave as stipulated by the state Opening up clothing industries only after the situation has improved and means of transport are available again Stop the postponement and cancellation of orders Stop the discounts/price suppression Solidarity from all – factory owners, government and consumers Government creation of a food rationing system for textile workers The work of NGWF as the largest trade union in Bangladesh is a constant struggle for higher wages and more justice. However, NGWF also operates acute crisis relief and plans to provide 5,000 workers with basic food in the best possible way.
