Global Minimum Wage Workers Demand Higher Pay

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They are the lowest paid clothing workers in the world.

The minimum wage will be effective from November, and their monthly salary will rise from $23 to $43.

This is their first wage increase in 4 years, during which food and fuel prices soared.

However, the authorities did not raise their minimum wage to 75 US dollars per month, which made workers angry.

"This is not enough money for workers and their families to make ends meet."

Amirul Haq Amin, President of Bangladesh national garment workers union, said (Amirul Haque Amin).

The trade union has about 23 thousand members.

"The cost of living, including food, clothing, housing and medical care, is getting higher and higher."

The Bangladesh authorities arrested three prominent labour activists, accusing them of causing disturbances.

The three men denied the charge.

However, Bangladesh workers' anger is a wake-up call for multinational retailers who want to avoid the impact of China's labor boom and labor costs and shift more production to other manufacturing centers in Asia.

The manufacturing centers in Asia, such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Kampuchea and Indonesia, are cheaper than China at the beginning, but with the rising prices of food and other necessities, they are also faced with increasing labor movement and huge salary pressure.

"There are not many countries with low labor costs in the region," he said.

I F Te Islam, executive partner of Asian Tiger Capital Partners, based in Bangladesh, said: "the ability of employers to pay very low wages is decreasing."

Wage increases across Asia reflect that job opportunities are improving in economies that are growing faster than those in the West.

"Asia's economy is growing fast and dynamic, which is putting upward pressure on wages."

Islam says.

In Kampuchea, the government recently raised the minimum wage by 21% from $50 a month to $61.

This is lower than the level demanded by more militants in Kampuchea's 273 trade unions, but the workers did not really hold a 3 day strike.

In Vietnam, workers hit 200 strikes last year, with an inflation rate of up to 9%.

For example, in April last year, nearly 10000 workers from a Taiwanese shoe factory went on strike for a pay rise.

In Indonesia, local authorities continue to raise minimum wage standards.

Indonesian trade unions are powerful, have millions of members and play a key role in labor negotiations.

In 2008, Jakarta raised the local minimum wage by 10% to nearly $100 a month, but wages in remote areas of the country were only half that.

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However, there were also many strikes in Indonesia's textile industry. Last month, there was a one day strike in Bandung, and 40 thousand workers from various textile mills marched on the streets to protest against repeated rises in electricity charges.

"Prices are soaring, and many of our members have to feed their families and send their children to school."

Mohamed Pa Pon, chairman of the garment industry union of West Java province, said MochammadPapon.

The trade union members came from 14 textile factories, mostly women.

They are planning to go on strike this week for a raise.

In India, Finland mobile phone manufacturer NOKIA (Nokia), German auto parts manufacturer BOSCH (Bosch), South Korea's modern (Hyundai), Volvo (Volvo), and numerous domestic enterprises are facing the emergence of the labor movement.

But when it comes to the anger of workers, there is no strong Bangladesh. Even the Sheikh Hasina Wajed also said that the current minimum wage is "not only too low, but also inhuman". Sheikh Hasina Wajed

Bangladesh raised its minimum wage last 2006, and since then, local food prices have risen by about 31%.

Before the minimum wage was raised, the country did not adjust the minimum wage for 12 years.

Nazma Akter, chairman of the Sommilito clothing workers union (NazmaAkter), said that workers "want to earn money to earn a living, but they can hardly live, and daily necessities are very expensive to them."

Factory owners say that the minimum wage raised is very high in the current global market.

But KorshedAlam, a Dhaka laborer who works for labor rights, says that since 90s of last century, the purchasing power of workers has obviously weakened.

"Their anger is entirely justifiable," he said.

However, Bangladesh authorities are more sensitive to the interests of the owners of garment factories.

Of the 300 seats in the country's parliament, 29 of the garment factory owners occupy.

There are many other members in the clothing factory.

Critics say these interests make the authorities reluctant to deal with labour groups.

"There is no labour relations at all."

Alan said, "their attitude is totally arrogant and autocratic.

Factory owners and the government consider themselves helping workers.

They do not treat workers as workers, but treat them like beggars.