Grievances and Industrial Relations in the Ready-Made Garment Industry of Bangladesh with Special Reference to Falcon Group Limited

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to find out and evaluate the grievances and industrial relations among the workers and the management team in the ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh with special reference to Falcon Group Limited. The study has used both primary and secondary data and information. For gathering primary data and information, depth interviews have been conducted on 45 workers with 5-10 years' long working experiences selected from 9 operating sections of Falcon Group Limited through convenience sampling. Different published books, research articles published in different journals, periodicals and conference proceedings, working papers, newspapers, websites of different organizations and annual reports of Falcon Group Limited and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers&Exporters Association (BGMEA) have been reviewed and analyzed for collecting secondary data and information. The study has found out that conflicts among the workers and the management team occur over time as a vulnerable crisis in the ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh where as a member of this industry, Falcon Group Limited always tries to manage and overcome any unrest situation for maintaining harmonious and peaceful industrial relations like other few reputed garment manufacturing companies of the country. The study has also identified lack of educated and skilled workers, lack of safe and healthy working environment, lack of proper managerial knowledge, gender discrimination among workers, low wage rate, irregularities in payment of wages, lack of discussion opportunity with management, lack of compliance, long working hours, harassment, International conspiracy and political intervention, mistreatment with workers etc. as the major causes of grievances or labor unrest in this sector. Considering these causes, the study has also provided some policy recommendations to overcome the problems of labor unrest so that harmonious and peaceful industrial relations can be ensured in the garment sector. Therefore, the study will contribute in the garment sector as well as the economy of Bangladesh and add value to the policymakers of government and partner organizations, researchers, academicians, students and practitioners of the respective field of study.