বাংলাদেশের তৈরি পোশাক শিল্পে ন্যূনতম মজুরি

একটি সমঝোতামূলক প্রেক্ষিত পর্যালোচনা

Abstract

A minimum wage policy is practised in most ILO-ratified countries, and a living wage policy structure is primarily advocated for reducing income inequality. Reaching a consensus on wages in a maze of conflicting interests is not straightforward. Employers and employees are the two contested parties that need a level playing field for collective bargaining to establish industrial democracy.In effective bargaining, a win-win situation requires each side's needs: from the employer, an increase in productivity and profit, and from the employee, a decent and more secure life. However, there is some evidence that theminimum wage policy might have adverse effects on employment.This study employs a qualitative approach using ILO reports, journals, newspaper articles,research firm reports, and key informant interviews to analyse the effects of changes in minimum wage determination in the readymade garments industry in Bangladesh. The key findings indicate that worker and RMG owner group representatives must agree on a compromising negotiation to develop an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable minimum wage policy, particularly in the ready-made garment sector. The significant policy implication of the study is to suggest the enforcement of various pre- and post-socioeconomic factors of minimum wage determination to ensure a decent standard of living for Bangladeshi low-paid garment workers. This study also thinks that if minimum wage compromising negotiations fail, there will be chaos in the garment industry in the coming days.