The announced increase in the minimum wage is not enough to live
Published in Socialist newspaper (SCO), October 2010
In recent years, discovered a number of international textile companies of Bangladesh as a low-wage country, since the textile workers in China and other South and East Asian countries have achieved successful wage struggles in significant pay increases. Then they sat down this summer in Bangladesh for the military.
This summer it was in the textile industry in Bangladesh violent conflicts. In an unprecedented mass coveted the textile workers strike against low wages and exorbitant price increases, and shook the country that is recognized for some time of internal unrest. Start of the strike action was a massive general strike in mid-July in the garment industry, the capital of Dhaka completely paralyzed.
immediate reason was price increases for staple foods and other daily needs. Given the pitiful wages that were not raised since 2006 (and this increase was made only after a strike), the survival of women workers and workers was hardly yet saved. The average wage of a textile worker was at the beginning of the strikes of 1887 taka per month, slightly more than 21 €, and most economists expect that at least 8,000 taka for their survival needs.
Although the police, the strikers massive attack, the strike ended by force and forced the workers back to work, was the signal that emanated from the general strike, strong enough to cause the ruling Awami League, the end of July, a higher Minimum wage in the textile industry of 3000 Taka (about 34 €) per month to advertise.
This meant that the government remains well below the demand of the strikers and their unions of 5,000 taka per month and well below a salary from which the workers could earn their daily living. The workers so continued their actions. They went on strike, building barricades and road blocks, set fire to cars and demonstrated, though there have been serious clashes with the police.
representing expected, the media fully the position of the government and the textile manufacturer and denounced the workers as "rioters." About the violent excesses of the police, they reported only in passing. The cynical attitude of the textile manufacturers, who called for a postponement of the announcement by the wage increase by four months - and these were approved - and even threatened with a shift of their production to other countries, was discussed in public opinion hardly.
factory closures
The textile factory closed 250 factories and demanded the assistance of the police powers to prevent occupation of the factories and put down the strike. In the ensuing clashes, the police went to great hardship against the strikers in front. Here more than 100 workers were injured, the police violence directed against children and young people.
declared the same time, the two major business organizations, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA), they would agree to a month in any case wage increases above the guaranteed by the Government of 3000 Taka addition, and it is the responsibility of the government, peace, order and discipline had to be restored.
finally accepted in August 42 of a total of 60 trade unions of textile workers by the government announced pay increases. Including, mainly pro-government and moderate trade unions, but so far as radical and syndicalist current National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) were. Some more radical labor organizations opposed the modest concession from continued and continued their protests continued until the end of August, despite the increased repression and the division caused by the tactics of the government weakened the movement.
arrests
During the clashes were taken more than 4,000 workers and workers in police custody. After the police had tried using pictures to identify the "ringleaders" more were arrested. We took the opportunity to also order a hard line against leading activists of trade unions and the Bengal Left tackle, several cadres of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and connected to the CPB Garment Trade Union Center (GTUC) were among the arrested, members of the Socialist Party and the Bangladesh conducted by that Garments Sramik Sangram Parishad (GSSP) were victims of house searches and police investigations. The Interior Ministry sent out to the workers the "Rapid Action Battalion," an elite unit that is commonly used against organized crime, terrorist groups and guerrilla movements.
The crackdown led to protest demonstrations in which participated alongside the textile workers' unions and the wider Bengali left strong. On August 14, occupied about 4,000 workers for four hours, the highway between Dhaka and Sylhet, until they were finally driven out by the security forces.
included the minimum demands of the protesters instead of the introduction of the announcement by the minimum wage in August from November, the 8-hour day (instead of the current 11-hour day), the immediate end to arrests and violent measures of the state, the withdrawal of the thugs of the textile manufacturers and the release of the detained workers. Their Action was supported by a large human chain that was of laborers, teachers, artists and intellectuals organized in the central square Shahbagh in Dhaka.
The government however were unimpressed and the interior minister of Bangladesh, Sahara Khatun, announced to want to take action against all participants in illegal demonstrations and violent riots of the summer with all the force of the law.
dual strategy
Strikes and Demonstrations were established in Bangladesh textile companies hard under pressure. Their interest in violent repression of the strike was great, because had another two weeks the mobilizations of the workers no longer stood. The workers had over the actions factories directly attacked and destroyed several plants.
greater, however, were the losses of the business by the stoppage of production, they speak of the equivalent of 113 million U.S. dollars. Operators now face with the withdrawal of productive capacity in other countries, the government is trying to make peace before the unrest may develop into a conflagration.
Given the sharp deterioration in the economic situation and living conditions of the population in recent years, the pent-up resentment at any time discharged in violent protests. This leaves the government a dual strategy: on the one hand to grasp it with great severity radical trade unions and leftist organizations - whose activists are often ill-treated in police stations. At the same time it seeks to strengthen pro-government unions.
The 3.5 million people in the textile industry, mainly women, are organized in more than 60 unions. Most of these unions are illegal and must work under clandestine conditions. At the same time, the view of the state depends on the activities of NGOs in recent years with the support of trade unions and solidarity groups in Western countries were constructed. They are a source of financial support and information exchange and lead international campaigns to improve wages and working conditions of Bangladeshi workers.
the past five months, the state's NGO Affairs Bureau closed 334 NGOs. The government provides them with a supporting role in the militant protests and the organizing efforts of the more radical unions. Among other things, and the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity (BCWS) is closed, which has organized in recent years with British and U.S. unions important campaigns to the west public pressure on the large retail groups has played and exercise textile company, and a coordinating role in the recent strike.
The global textile groups
The textile industry is the most important industries in 1971 split off from Pakistan, Bangladesh. Its export share is 80%, with 3.5 million and it recorded the highest proportion of employees. The textile industry has a long tradition in Bengal, which goes back well into the pre-colonial period.
discovered in recent years, the global textile and clothing companies, always looking for new low-wage countries, Bangladesh as a production site, it has, in countries such as China, the Philippines and Indonesia were more exposed to trade union resistance to extremely low wages and poor working conditions. Have long since retail giants like Wal-Mart, but Lidl and KiK in Bangladesh produce by resident companies on its own without the need for the working conditions of Bangladeshi garment workers in the widespread attention in North America and Europe play a role. Pierced
this wall of silence and indifference was in August when the news of street battles between police and strikers also went by the media and a report in an ARD magazine revealed the murderous conditions let under which KiK and other Western companies produce there. Although there had also been similar reports in recent years, the company was headed by KiK, part of the Tengelmann group, only now through the startled public correctly under pressure.
As the economy of Bangladesh strongly dependent on the textile industry and its global market position, has yet each of the last few years by the government in power contending political parties - both the ruling populist Awami League, as well as the opposition conservative National Party - high energy it used to protect the conditions of exploitation in the textile industry.
The only option for the textile workers and their unions, therefore, is through direct action, strikes and protests paralyze public life. The production power of the workers in the textile industry itself is small, only by extending the combat terrain and a wide solidarity from other sectors of the working class they are successes possible. It is important for this exercise, the international pressure, the unions and campaign groups in Western countries to retailers and textile companies.
Against the backdrop of increased repression and the attempt by the state to cut this particular bond of solidarity that requires the development of class struggle and political events in Bangladesh increased attention.
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