Readymade garment workers have rejected the announcement of 9 per cent annual increase in their wages and workers from at least 25 factories in Ashulia on Wednesday refused to join work demanding a 15 per cent annual increase.
According to the industry owners, production at garment factories in the industrial belt had started as usual on Wednesday morning but after some time workers from several factories refused to continue work and leave the factories demanding a 15 per cent annual wage increase.
As a result, authorities of at least 25 factories declared holidays before noon on the day.
The labour ministry on Monday announced an increase in garment workers鈥� annual wage increment from the existing 5 per cent to 9 per cent following a meeting of the 鈥楳inimum Wage Review and Annual Increment Hike for the RMG Sector鈥� committee.
The new wage structure will be effective from this month.
Workers from 25 units, including Hamim Group, Sharmin Group, Medlar Group, Next Collection, Al Muslim, and Setara Group, halted work, demanding a 15 per cent annual wage increase and a monthly wage of Tk 25,000, among other demands.
As a result of the workers鈥� protest, some factories announced the closure of their units under Section 13(1) of the Labour Law, which means no work no pay, while others declared a holiday.
Additional police and military personnel were deployed at key locations in the industrial area to prevent any untoward incidents.
The ministry has formed the minimum wage review and annual increment hike for the RMG sector committee on September amid the protest of workers demanding pay hike.
At the meeting of the committee, labour leaders demanded a 15 per cent annual wage increase, while owners proposed 6 per cent hike.
After holding several meetings, both the sides agreed on 9 per cent annual wage hike for the RMG workers and labour ministry adviser M Sakhawat Hussain at a press briefing announced the decision on Monday.
Currently, the minimum wage for an entry-level garment worker is Tk 12,500, effective since December 2023, up from Tk 8,000.