RMG workers in 3 Savar factories are protesting by stopping work

Workers at two garment factories in Savar’s Hemayetput — Vertex Group and Standard Group — stopped work and went on strike today (November 2), demanding compensation for an injury to a woman worker.

As of this afternoon, workers have cleared the area. According to Vertex Group workers, 18 out of 26 requests were accepted by the owners.

According to a senior Standard Group staff, the employees held a discussion with the owners and resolved the issues.

Today has been declared a holiday and normal work will resume tomorrow (November 3).

Earlier, workers at Neo Fashion Limited, part of the Vertex Group, claimed that a female worker was seriously injured in the leg by a container truck inside the factory at around 7pm last Thursday (October 31).

Despite her injuries, the factory management did not take effective measures to save her and take her to the hospital.

She was taken to the Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar in a critical condition, where she is still receiving treatment.

This morning, the workers of the factory stopped their work and started protesting inside the factory, demanding proper compensation for the care and maintenance of the injured worker.

Although the factory management declared a holiday today due to the protest, the workers remained inside the factory premises and continued their demonstration.

In addition, the workers said they have several demands other than compensation for injured workers, including an end to mandatory overtime and not being forced to work on scheduled days off.

The other demands made by the workers are still to be known. They were still occupying the factory premises as of the filing of this report at 11.00 am.

Meanwhile, workers at Savar’s Standard Group factories — The Civil Engineers Oven Ltd and The Civil Engineers Wash Ltd — stopped work, demanding the dismissal of several staff members.

Seeking anonymity, an official at the factory said the management agreed to some of the workers’ demands when they protested a few days ago.

During this time, the management also decided to lay off several staff members, the official said.

However, workers are now demanding that these layoffs be announced directly by the owners, not just the officers. This demand led to the continuation of their strike, the official added.

Earlier, when the factory workers initiated a protest with various demands, the management declared both the factories closed indefinitely under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Act from October 30.

Following a conciliation meeting between workers and owners on 31 October, it was decided to reopen the factories from 1 November.

Some of the demands made during the previous protest were increase in night shift allowances, attendance bonuses and encashment of accrued leave days.

Of these, management agreed and issued notices for 22 demands, covering most of the workers’ demands.