Bangladesh raised the minimum monthly pay for the country’s four million garment workers by 56.25 per cent on Tuesday, a decision immediately rejected by unions seeking a near-tripling of the figure.
The South Asian country’s 3,500 garment factories account for around 85pc of its $55 billion in annual exports, supplying many of the world’s top fashion names including Levi’s, Zara and H&M. But conditions are dire for many of the sector’s four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women whose monthly pay starts at 8,300 taka ($75). Workers have gone on strike to demand a near-tripling of their wages, with violent scenes in recent days, while employers offered 25pc. —AFP
