NGWF managed to get jobs reinstated of illegally fired union leaders from Top Jeans

What was the problem?
According to the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), WSM's partner in Bangladesh, the management of Dhaka based Top Jeans violated the Labour Act and harassed executive union leaders and active members of the union several times. On 20th of August 2018, the management fired the President of the union. Management did not list the wages of 30 workers, including the union leaders. When they came to know the reason, management allegedly abused the workers, with around 40 thugs who entered the factory and forced them to leave their jobs, as well as ordering them to leave the area. These thugs stabbed one of the workers, who is currently under treatment at Bangladesh Medical of emergency unit. As a result, 30 workers, of which 9 are trade union leaders, cannot enter the factory.


The trade unions demanded

• justice administered to the management and the thugs;
• to cover all medical treatments of the injured workers;
• to reinstate the fired 30 workers with due wage;
• to remove any obstacle to continue union activities;
• to stop harassment of the workers by management and thugs.

Labour protest and compromise reached:
On 30 August, the workers demonstrated and led a procession after the lock out of the factory, gathering solidarity from 80% of the workers. Due to this movement, the traffic in the Uttara area of Dhaka city was halted. Later, an agreement by initiative and mediation by BGMEA and the Federation's was reached with the government representatives, the BGMEA, the factory authorities, the union and the federation. The management was obliged to reinstate the jobs of twenty of the fired workers, including eight of the union leaders.  Work was resumed and factory production is again fully operating.

ETI and various brands pulls out of the Dhaka Apparel Summit

ETI pulls out of Bangladesh summit amid fears over garment worker 'intimidation'

Concern is mounting over the future of the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh following arrests in Chittagong and the Ashulia area of Dhaka, and intimidation of workers and their representatives. (…)ETI executive director Peter McAllister, who was due to speak at the event, said the organisation had no choice but to withdraw amid growing international concerns around Bangladesh’s clampdown on trade unions in the country’s garment sector, and following discussions with its member companies. ETI members C&A, H&M, Inditex and Tchibo also confirmed that they will not attend the summit.

(…)The BGMEA has claimed the strikes were illegal under the Bangladesh Labour Law 2006 – Section 210 and 211 and have cost the affected factories some $50m (£40m) in lost production.

“As a trade body, we cannot influence legal issues or issue arbitrary notices to that effect, however we are fully supportive of the call for ensuring that the law is not misused by any party,” the association said in a statement yesterday.

Read the full article here.

Shame Cambodian Capitol Tours Bus

Call for action!

In solidarity with our Cambodia partners, please post the following message on the Capitol Tours Bus company Facebook page:
Capitol Tours Bus Company, I am severely shocked by how you are violating the rights of your workers. You should immediately reinstate the 45 illegally terminated union members with back pay. And you should end the practice of violence and intimidation against union members and respect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining!

You can also leave a poor review in their review section, and add this message to it as explanation. Let's show them the mobilization that takes place if a company doesn't respect freedom of association and collective bargaining!

Also in Nepal, they say: Hands off our right to strike!

18 February 2015 has been designated by the ITUC General Council as a global day of action (link) in defense of the right to strike, which is under attack by an employer groups at the ILO. The Nepali Trade Unions which are affiliated to the ITUC, GEFONT, NTUC and ANTUC have jointly organized a debriefing programme with mass-media today, to highlight this Action Day. 

The 18Feb logo which had been translated into Nepali was unveiled:

GEFONT president, Bishnu Rimal, who presided the function, answered questions from journalists and media. He stated: "We are in the final stages of the constitution drafting. The draft of Nepali Statute includes the right to strike as a fundamental right of the citizens. If the employers group becomes successful in the ILO process, pressure will be mounted here to erase this right from our constitution."

They distributed the ITUC newsletter (Hands off our rights to strike, January 9) in Nepali: "Throughout history, when employers and governments have refused dialogue and negotiation and instead imposed their will, workers have taken steps and faced the risks of withdrawing their labour. That will not change. Workers will continue to take strike action when they have to – but the employer agenda would make them criminals. If ILO conventions are weakened then workers’ hope will diminish. The right to strike is most necessary for the workers working in most precarious conditions and appalling workplaces" reads the letter.

Hon'able member of Constituent Assembly Cde Binod Shrestha and Cde Pemba Lama were present, as well as GEFONT Secretary General Bishnu Lamsal, along with Vice Presidents, secretaries and key leaders of GEFONT affiliates.

More on this activity here on GEFONT's website.

328 trade union confederations of 162 countries with total membership of 176 million are represented in ITUC.