Labor Unions in the RMG industry -1
Research Proposal
Labor unions in the garment factories in Bangladesh
NAME
ID
COURSE
FACULTY
DATE
Labor Unions in the RMG industry -2
RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON
Labor unions in the garment factories in Bangladesh
Date:
o:
!rom:
Sub"ect: Proposal to write a research paper on the current worin! con"ition o# the !ar$ent
worers an" the o%erall i$pact o# ha%in! la&or unions in the !ar$ent #actories in 'an!la"esh(
#NROD$C#ON
'an!la"esh steppe" into the rea")*$a"e !ar$ent in"ustr) earl) in the )ear +,-.( It was
prosperin! %er) rapi"l) &ut consi"erin! the international $aret it was still in its in#ant sta!e( So
eepin! in $in" the opportunit) the !ar$ent #actories coul" create #or the countr)/ !o%ern$ent
has consciousl) wai%e" the la&or laws in or"er to !i%e the in"ustr) a chance to !row( The
worer0s were "epri%e" o# $an) pri%ile!es "urin! this phase &ut now the in"ustr) is in !oo"
shape &ut the worers are still en"urin! the sa$e treat$ent as &e#ore(
The worin! con"itions o# $an) !ar$ent #actories are not at all satis#actor) an" the
worplace itsel# in $an) occasions is li#e*threatenin! to the worers( The) are still poorl) pai"/
onl) a #ew #actories pa) the $ini$u$ wa!e rate( The) are "epri%e" #ro$ their weel) "a) o##
an" are #orce" to wor o%erti$e without an) incre$ental pa)$ent in $an) cases( The) are
routinel) #ire"/ harasse"/ threatene"/ an" &eaten(
Labor Unions in the RMG industry -3
Earl) in the +,,1s/ #ew in"epen"ent la&or unions such as 'an!la"esh In"epen"ent
2ar$ent 3orers Union 4'I2U5 where esta&lishe" in response to the un&eara&le worin!
con"ition o# the worers( Thou!h there were #ew la&or unions pre%iousl)/ $ost were relate" to
political parties an" the) onl) #a%ore" worers &elon!in! to that part)(
The la&or unions ha" ha" so$e success &ut &etter worin! con"itions #or the worers are
still elusi%e( Throu!h this report I hope to i"enti#) the reasons wh) the o%erall worin!
con"itions o# !ar$ent #actories are not i$pro%in!(
RESEARCH %$ES#ONS:
Do the !ar$ent #actories ha%e la&or unions6
I# not/ "o the) nee" la&or unions6
3hat is the %iewpoint o# !ar$ent worers re!ar"in! la&or union6
3hat is the e$plo)er0s perspecti%e re!ar"in! la&or union6
Are the worin! con"itions satis#actor)6
I# not/ what are the reasons &ehin" the #ailure o# i$pro%in! the worin! con"itions6
3hat in" o# pro&le$s is #ace" &) !ar$ent worers in their worplaces6
Can a la&or union sol%e the "i##iculties in worplace #ace" &) the worers6
Does a la&or union act as a co$$unication lin &etween the worers an" e$plo)ers6
H&POHES#S
Labor Unions in the RMG industry -4
There are 7uite a #ew la&or unions in the !ar$ent sector in 'an!la"esh that are currentl)
worin! #or the wel#are o# the worers( A$on! the$ The National 2ar$ent 3orers Fe"eration
4N23F5/ 'an!la"esh In"epen"ent 2ar$ent 3orers Union Fe"eration 4'I2UF5 an"
'an!la"esh 2ar$ent 8 In"ustrial 3orers Fe"eration 4'2I3F5 are the ones that solel)
consi"erin! the !ar$ent in"ustr)(
The la&ors are constantl) su##erin! #ro$ health ha9ar"s "ue to the poor sa#et)
precautions/ an" so$eti$es the) e%en !et ille" #or the &a" in#rastructure o# the #actories(
Despite such ris an" har" wor the la&ors are $istreate" an" poorl) pai"( I# the worers tr) to
stan" up an" protest to this in:ustice the) are #ire" an" &lacliste" so that the) are not recruite"
&) other #actories( A la&or union is create" so that the worers coul" ne!otiate with the
e$plo)ers throu!h their collecti%e &ar!ainin! power an" i$pro%e the worin! con"ition( So
consi"erin! the worin! con"ition in 'an!la"esh/ la&or unions are %er) $uch nee"e"(
Thou!h &ein! part o# a la&or union is a worer0s ri!ht an" it is not at all ille!al/ $an)
worers are scare" o# :oinin! la&or union "ue to #ear o# losin! :o&s/ %icti$ o# $is&eha%ior in the
han"s o# the e$plo)er or !ettin! &lacliste"(
In the conte;t o# 'an!la"esh/ it is o#ten hear" that the #actor) owners are accusin! la&or
union lea"ers #or creatin! an a!!ressi%e attitu"e in the worers0 $in" #or the lea"er0s personal
interest( The) also co$plain that la&or unions in !ar$ent #actories "o not colla&orate with the
worers in $an) occasions an" &ar!ains $ore than is applica&le(
RESEARCH 'EHODOLO(&
Labor Unions in the RMG industry -5
As #or $) pri$ar) source/ I plan to sur%e) worers in !ar$ent #actories throu!h a
7uestionnaire to #in" out the "i##iculties the) #ace in their worplace an" also their %iews
concernin! la&or union an" whether esta&lishe" la&or unions are a&le to sol%e their pro&le$s an"
"e#en" their ri!hts( I plan to inter%iew an e$plo)er o# a !ar$ent #actor) an" also a la&or union
lea"er(
As #or $) secon"ar) source #or the research paper/ I wish to !o throu!h newspaper
articles/ :ournals an" &rowse the internet(
OR(AN#)A#ON
M) research paper will #ollow the !eneral #or$at o# a research paper with the $ain
sections such as Intro"uction/ 'ac!roun"/ Data Presentation an" Anal)sis/ an" Su$$ar) o#
Fin"in!s( The or!ani9ation o# this paper will &e "irecte" &) the research 7uestions which woul"
&e answere" in the a&o%e $entione" $ain sections(
#'EABLE:
I inten" to #ollow the su&se7uent ti$e sche"ule presente" in the class in or"er to acco$plish $)
research paper ti$el)<
=une >.< Final "ra#t o# the research proposal
Au!ust .< Su&$ission o# the research paper
RE%$ES !OR APPRO*AL
Labor Unions in the RMG industry -6
I here&) re7uest the appro%al o# $) research proposal( I woul" &e !rate#ul #or an) #or$ o#
su!!estions #ro$ )ou that will help $e prepare this research paper to in%esti!ate the o%erall
i$pact o# ha%in! la&or unions in the !ar$ent #actories in 'an!la"esh(
