This was the result of intensive negotiation amongst all concerned parties. It was decided that the last date for implementing the new wage structure would be June 30. In May this year it was found that 1,197 out of 4,600 garment factories were not paying the minimum wages.

The BGMEA then revisited the factories last month and found that 757 out of the 1,197 had fixed minimum wages for the workers as per the deal. 419 units did not comply with the agreement, and the other 21 factories were closed down last month, BGMEA sources reported.

However, the garments workers' leaders complained that about 50% of the factories were yet to comply with the deal. Whatever the percentage, the grievance among the readymade garments workers of the country continues. If things do not improve, we may be waiting for another bout of worker unrest in the garment sector.

The first industrial revolution took place in England in the middle of the eighteenth century, and later spread to other countries of Europe. Although feudalism was abolished by the industrial revolution, the working conditions in the factories were very poor. Suffocation, polluted air, constant standing on wet muddy ground, quick taking of meals, fluctuation of temperature, frequent industrial accidents, lack of cleanliness, gas light in a closed room in winter, continuous sufferings from different types of diseases, etc., were regular features in the work places.

Use of child workers was widespread, and they were frequently physically tortured. Under-aged children and women often worked for twelve hours at a stretch, in mines, pin factories and textile mills, in exchange for small meals and crammed shelters.

The workers formed trade unions, and the trade unions used to call strikes to bring change. But the law prohibited formation of trade unions, and the striking workers were treated as common criminals when arrested.

Robert Owen, an early nineteenth century British industrialist, created an extraordinary example at his factory. He provided good physical working conditions, shortened the working hours, raised minimum age for hiring children, and introduced meals for workers.

He also provided loan to the workers, and facilities for free and compulsory education for their childrenwhich was unknown elsewhere. He gave a proposal to the parliament for minimizing the working hours, raising the minimum age of hiring children workers, and providing facilities for education, etc. Some of these proposals were accepted as laws in England in 1819. If some of our present day industrialists would have this consciousness!

When the industrial revolution took place in USA in the middle of the nineteenth century the workers faced the same problems, and formed trade unions like their predecessors in eighteenth century England.

Workers in the US, before they were hired, were often required to sign pledges that they would not join any trade union. These pledges were called “Yellow Dog Contracts” because the workers felt that only a yellow dog could compel them to sign such a contract.

The post-industrial revolution workers had to work under inhuman conditions because there was absence of labour laws. The government of England, seeing the sufferings and misery of the early factory workers, tried to ensure good working conditions for the workers by enacting new labour laws, and enforcing them. A Royal Commission in 1867 established the legal status of trade unions in Britain. The same thing happened subsequently in other countries where industrial revolutions took place.

If we focus on the working conditions in the garment factories, we see that the workers do not enjoy weekly holidays in many factories. There is absence of job security, gratuity, and provident fund for the workers. In most of the cases the authorities do not issue appointment letters, ID cards and service books. Sometimes the workers are forced to work for 14 to 16 hours per day.

Factories do not provide basic medical facilities, work floors have insufficient lighting, and there is lack of sufficient drinking water and adequate toilet facilities for the workers. Women workers are often made to work until late at night, sometimes till dawn.

In most of the cases they do not get maternity leave. Many factories do not pay the monthly wage and overtime payment even within the 7th of the month. In many cases workers do not get the monthly wage and overtime for 2 to 3 months at a stretch.

The management does not ensure the security of women workers, who face sexual harassment in their workplaces and outside. There are other forms of sex discrimination. Women workers often are deprived of equal wage, equal dignity, equal rights and promotions. In most of the cases, supervisors of garment factories lack human relation skills, which is one of the basic requirements of human resource management.

Thus, they cannot communicate with the workers properly, and do not understand that a worker is not only the most important element but is also the most difficult and complex one in the entire production process.

Unlike machines, they have personal lives, hopes, emotions, attitudes, etc., which have an impact on their performance. Due to the lack of human relations skill supervisors cannot motivate the workers properly. Trade unions do not exist in all of the garment factories, and where they do exist they do not work as enlightened trade unions. Rather, in most of the cases, the unions tend to manipulate the workers for their own interest. Unfortunately, in most of the cases, the workers of garment industries, like workers of other industrial enterprises, are not aware of their legal rights.

When organizations respond to social requests and do something for the benefit of the society that is the starting point of the real discharging of social responsibility. When organizations do something for the society without any request from the society that is real discharging of social responsibility.

In our country, although there are labour laws, the workers are being deprived of minimum facilities because there is absence of proper monitoring and implementation of the laws. So, it is very frustrating that most of the garment manufacturers of our country are not discharging the minimum degree of social responsibility. The trade unions of garment sector should try to be enlightened trade unions, and the workers should have awareness of their legal rights.

Another very important factor is government interference. There should be regular and strict inspection by the government to check whether the garment factories are complying with the legal provisions or not, and there should be exemplary punishment for non-compliance of legal provisions.

We would like to see the garment factory owners and the government take corrective measures (regarding the working conditions of their factories), not under the pressure of international buyers, but out of their own awareness.

The garment manufacturers, at first by discharging the minimum degree of social responsibility (legal compliance), then by covering the starting point of real discharging of social responsibility (reactive role), and then the highest degree of social responsibility (pro-active role), can create a win-win situation, i.e., they, and other stakeholders, can both be benefited.

The readymade garments sector is a little over three decades old. It is the major foreign exchange earner of the country, and employs more than two million workers of whom about 90% are women. It has brought about a silent social transformation by allowing women to come of their traditional work in kitchens and the agricultural sector, and work in modern day factories.

Our RMG sector has become competitive, and has great potential for further growth. It is a golden goose that lays the golden eggs. It has to be protected in full earnest. The principal responsibility lies with the owners. For their own interest, they cannot afford to fail.

The writer is an Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, East West University.