Sri Lanka apparel workers return to work

Around 260 garment factories in Sri Lanka’s Export Processing Zones ( EPZ) have been reopened with 50 per cent of the 500,000 female workers recalled for work after a month-long shutdown owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Factory management said that this action has been taken to allow mostneeded workers living near the factories to return to work adhering to health protocols.

Several CEOs of apparel factories noted that they had to reopen to complete export orders on time.

Employers have given an assurance to pay the basic salary of these returning workers but there was no consensus relating to the payments of others who have not been asked to report to work, a trade union leader said.

At the meeting of the Tripartite Task Force on Employment chaired by Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Dinesh Gunawardena this week, trade union representat ives have asked employers to at least pay a sum of Rs. 20,000 to the distressed workers at homes.

This was disclosed by Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union’s Joint Secretary Anton Marcus.

He told the Business Times that they have also requested the Labour Minister to extend the government’s interim payment of Rs. 5000 to apparel workers suffering without work.

Referring to the attempt to retrench the workforce, he noted that it is not easy to lay off workers under the cover of COVID19 as Sri Lankan employment laws do not allow such termination of services.

Apparel factory owners have earned exorbitant profits during the last few years due to the GSP+ facility and there was no difficulty for employers to oblige the request, he added.