DHAKA, Jan 30, Reuter: Nearly 500,000 Jute workers walked off their jobs on Monday after the government failed to meet their demands for higher wages and benefits, closing down most of Bangladesh’s 68 mills.
Officials of the state owned Bangladesh jute mills corporation (BJMC) said most mills in public and private sectors were closed by the strike.
The jute mills workers association said in a statement they decided to stage the “token strike” after the government failed to meet the demands by an offered deadline of January 27.
“We will be compelled to take further action if the government did not pay heed to our just demands,” it said.
The demands include pay rise by 60 percent, increased bonus and regularization of temporary employees.
Bu the BJMC said the government could do nothing about the demand.
“Jute Mill authorities alone can do nothing about their (Jute workers) demands for higher wages which is determined by the national pay commission,” one BJMC official said.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 3, 1989
