Labour organisations demand 8-Hour Workday

Staff Correspondent: Different labour organisations have staged demonstration demanding the eight-hour workday on the historic May Day.

To press home their demands, some 15 to 20 labour organisations of the country waged different programmes like processions, human chain and rally in front of the National Press Club on Tuesday (May 1).

The organisations include Dhaka Metropolitan Private Car and Taxicab Drivers Union, National Domestic Women Workers Union, The City Bank Employee Council, Bangladesh Awami Motor Driver League, Workers' Security Forum, Readymade Garments Workers Federation, Jago Bangladesh Shishu Kishore Federation, Bangladesh Trust Garment Workers Employees Federation, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, Bangladesh Medical Association, CARITAS Safe Project, Democratic Youth Forum, Bangladesh Trade Union Federation, Domestic Workers' Rights Network Bangladesh and WARBE Development Foundation.

Faizul Hakim, President of the Bangladesh Trade Union Federation, said, “Workers are the most deprived classes among all. They are being harassed by the owners at every level of the society. It is necessary to stage united movement against it. The workers have to do their duties for 12/14 hours currently. Though an eight-hour workday is recognised across the country, it has yet not been implemented in Bangladesh.”

He said, “There is no substitute for workers to make the country more prosperous. The country is getting better with their labour. So, we demand ensuring eight-hour workday for the workers on the May Day.”

He also came up with several more demands at that time which are: two days leave a week for workers, rights for trade union, announcement of April 24 as “Workers Mass Killing Day” and justice for workers killing, cancellation of Industry Police and Detectives.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/May 01, 2018/Saon/A K Azad