Labor unions in the garment factories in Bangladesh
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Labor unions in the garment factories in Bangladesh
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Subject: Proposal to write a research paper on the current working condition of the garment workers and the overall impact of having labor unions in the garment factories in Bangladesh.
INTRODUCTION
Bangladesh stepped into the ready-made garment industry early in the year 1978. It was prospering very rapidly but considering the international market it was still in its infant stage. So keeping in mind the opportunity the garment factories could create for the country, government has consciously waived the labor laws in order to give the industry a chance to grow. The worker’s were deprived of many privileges during this phase but now the industry is in good shape but the workers are still enduring the same treatment as before.
The working conditions of many garment factories are not at all satisfactory and the workplace itself in many occasions is life-threatening to the workers. They are still poorly paid, only a few factories pay the minimum wage rate. They are deprived from their weekly day off and are forced to work overtime without any incremental payment in many cases. They are routinely fired, harassed, threatened, and beaten.
Early in the 1990s, few independent labor unions such as Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union (BIGU) where established in response to the unbearable working condition of the workers. Though there were few labor unions previously, most were related to political parties and they only favored workers belonging to that party.
The labor unions had had some success but better working conditions for the workers are still elusive. Through this report I hope to identify the reasons why the overall working conditions of garment factories are