A leading trade union in the private sector has revealed that Sri Lankan garment workers have lost Rs. 480 million in the last three months due to the corona epidemic.
According to the Free Trade Zones and General Services Workers’ Union, the plague cost the garment workers worldwide $ 7,000 million in March, April and May 2020.
A joint protest has been launched demanding that workers be paid their dues.
During the period from March to May 2020, when the Cowd 19 epidemic began, garment factories across Asia were severely affected.
The Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union says that well-known branded apparel buyers who took advantage of the situation have withdrawn their orders and have not paid for the orders properly.
Similarly, garment factory owners are deprived of bonuses due in April to employees who have worked for many years, non-payment of wages to employees who are unable to report for work, loss of attendance allowances, non-provision of transport facilities, loss of incentives, and workers who are barely tied up in life. A pamphlet issued by the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union states that the amount of money lost to them by means of deprivation of overtime is not insignificant.
According to the report, a large number of workers lost their jobs during the epidemic and their compensation was not paid.
The Free Trade Zones and General Services Workers’ Union (CTZWU) has called on trade unions, civil society organizations and civil society organizations to pay back the money lost to garment workers around the world affected by the Kovid 19 epidemic. A protest week has been declared from March 15 to March 21, 2021 to force factory owners.
Throughout the week, garment workers, trade unions and other organizations in each country will be engaged in a variety of activities, including signing petitions, holding rallies and displaying placards to win back their lost payments.
Coinciding with this week, the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union has invited Sri Lankan garment workers to join the activism activities on March 20, 2021 in areas such as Katunayake, Gampaha, Ja-Ela, Ekala, Biyagama and Mahiyanganaya.