Apparel workers struggle to meet expenses during COVID-19 curfew
The government and Sri Lanka’s garment industry employers have been urged to step in and look after the well-being of thousands of workers who face hardships as factories close and orders dry up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many apparel factories are already closing due to a shortage of raw materials from China and declining orders from western clothing brands.
Quarantine and self-isolation measures being imposed by the government would result in more closures of factories in the days and weeks to come.
Under these circumstances Sri Lanka apparel sector workers are facing difficulties as most of them are stranded in their boarding houses during the curfew period following the closure of the majority of garment factories in export processing zones and industrial parks, a frontline trade union leader said.
As some of the factories continued operations till the declaration of the curfew despite the request to close factories by the government, the employees especially in Katunayake, Biyagama and Sithawaka Free Trade Zones have not been able to return to their villages, he said adding that these workers are now stranded in their boarding houses.
The Government and the Board of Investment (BOI) have been urged to provide some relief for these workers as most of them especially the daily paid manpower agency employees are in difficulty in finding their daily meals, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZ-GSEU) Joint Secretary Anton Marcus said.
He told the Business Times that he will bring this matter to the attention of the BOI authorities to make some arrangement to meet the daily needs of apparel workers as many factories are closed for a period of two to three weeks while some are planning to prolong it.
Thousands of employees are suffering without money as their monthly salary will be paid on or before April 10 and hundreds of daily paid manpower agency workers had to beg for some payment from agency owners, he revealed.
A tripartite task force has been set up to deal with the crisis in the garment sector, he said adding that several meetings were held to discuss ways and means to settle issues faced by the workers.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa convened a special meeting to discuss the impact of the virus on the garment industry with four unions, which emphasised the welfare need for workers, he disclosed.
At the meeting unions emphasised the need of paying minimum wages in case of temporary closure and additional payment to cover the loss of overtime payments over a longer period.
The task force also discussed workers’ health protection and other welfare issues including food shortage of workers during curfew period.
The FTZ-GSEU has urged the government to take action to address the situation including taking responsibility for worker wages, and calls upon brands to take responsibility for their supply chains.