FTZ workers now at home but most suffer without wages
Most of the over 100,000 apparel sector workers now in their homes in villages following the closure of the garment factories in Free Trade Zones will be receiving their wages soon, official sources confirmed
Minister of Industrial Export and Investment Promotion Prasanna Ranatunga has requested the employers to pay wages to these employees as soon as possible, a senior official of the ministry told the Business Times.
This was the result of a request made by Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union from the Minister, Joint Secretary of the Union Anton Marcus told the Business Times.
Employers of most garment factories have agreed to remit the wages for March to bank accounts of employees before April 10, he disclosed.
This matter was discussed at length at the meeting of the Tripartite Task Force on Employment appointed by Minister of Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations.Denesh Gunawardena.
This unit chaired by the. Minister has decided with consensus that the wages would be paid before the factories are closed if such a situation arises and for the period the factory remains closed due to the present COVID-19 outbreak.
The Labour Department has been requested to inform this decision officially to all companies including manpower agencies which have engaged their employees as contract workers in apparel factories.
These manpower agencies have also agreed to pay those contract employees on a daily pay basis as soon as possible, he said.
According to BOI statistics, 137478 employees are serving in 278 factories in free trade zones and of them 5144 workers are at Katunayake FTZ, 3264 in Biyagama, 450 in Meerigama, Wathupitiwala and Malwatte, 962 in Horana and 280 in Seethawake. They have been sent to their homes in villages by buses during the last few days.
Most of these employees are still to receive their wages; Mr. Marcus said adding that they are living in difficult conditions at present.
Even those employees who were sent to villages complained they have not received their wages and are unable to meet their daily expenses as breadwinners of their families, he added.
In a very trying situation where people are called upon to stay indoors for an indefinite period with a curfew in operation these employees need to buy their essentials in adequate quantities to stay indoors, as requested and as medically expected, he said.
Some of the garment factory owners noted that their customers have informed them that not to send finished orders because all their warehouses are closed and they will not transfer the funds, he added.
Therefore, they have informed the union that they will not be able to pay wages to employees for next month, he revealed.
Under these circumstance, he urged the government to find some redress for employees who will face financial difficulties.