Implementation of labour laws in tannery factories stressed

Leaders of various labour organizations, including Tannery Workers Union (TWU),  urged all concerned, including the government, tannery owners and workers of leather industry to work to boost country's leather industry ensuring social compliance and implementation of existing labour laws.

"To achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 with the target of 10 billion US dollars export income from the leather industry, the second largest export-earning industry, owners and tannery workers must work together," Md Nazrul Islam, program officer of Solidarity Center-Bangladesh Office, told in his key-note paper at a discussion in a city hotel here this evening.

Noting that the country's leather industry is now facing a threat due to lack of proper strategic plan and producing quality products in the competitive world, he also put emphasis on ensuring social compliance in the leather industry and to take pragmatic steps to regain its lost image.

Tannery Workers Union and Solidarity Center-Bangladesh Office organized the programme raising a charter of demands regarding the rights of workers in the tannery industry.

Tannery Workers Union (TWU) president Abul Kalam Azad chaired the discussion. 

Solidarity Center-Bangladesh Office Country Director K M Nasim, Deputy Director Monica Hersel, TWU General Secretary Abdul Malek, Trade Union Kendra president Shahidullah Chowdhury, General Secretary Dr Wajedul Islam Khan, Scope Joint Coordinator Samima Ara, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal President Anwar Hossain, Bangladesh Labor Rights Journalists Forum General Secretary Md Ataur Rahman and Advocate Sharmin Sultana of the Labor Court Bar Association, among others, took part in eth discussion.

The participants of the programme called for implementing a wage board for the tannery workers by 2024 in line with the minimum wage structure announced by the government in every factory and stop terminating the skilled and experienced workers in the interest of the leather industry.

They also emphasized on taking appropriate measures including strengthening the safety committee as well as inspection activities to improve the occupational health and safety conditions of the workers.

The labour union leaders requested the authorities concerned to set-up a 50-bed hospital for tannery workers and others concerned, ensure social compliance including full implementation of maternity welfare facilities, fully implementation of waste management and CETP to build an eco-friendly and modern leather city, and move towards for achieving the Leather Working Group (LWG) certificate.