Sustainable and Responsible Actions for Making Industries Care (SRAMIC) Project

1. Context and Objectives: The overall objective of the project is to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth through the realisation of the decent work agenda for garment, leather and tannery workers in the two largest cities Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. Through inclusive and more effective civil society action the project will collectivise and empower up to 813,000 workers (particularly women) working in 950 garment factories and 50 tannery and leather plants  to increase their access to entitlements and better working conditions  in order to ultimately realise the decent work agenda. In addition, wide-ranging campaigns and mass awareness rising on worker rights and entitlements will reach up to 3.6 million people. The action recognises that economic growth depends on having better standards of living for workers, access to social protection and entitlements, more equal power dynamics in the workplace and higher wages which will lead to more motivated and productive workers and fewer industrial accidents.

Key aspects of the decent work agenda to be addressed in this action include: (1) enhanced recognition and respect for the rights of workers, and in particular disadvantaged workers who need representation, participation, and laws and policies that protect and defend their rights; (2) promoting dialogue, involving strong and independent workers’ and employers’ organisations to increasing productivity, avoid disputes at work, and building more constructive relationships between workers, employers and LAs; (3) promoting jobs, opportunities for investment, skills development, job creation and sustainable livelihoods ultimately leading to sustainable economic growth[1].

 

2. The specific objective of the project is to enhance the capacity of CSOs including trade unions working in the garment, leather and tannery industries to represent workers effectively, hold LA and business owners accountable to labour policies and laws, and enhance the existing legal framework.

Result 1: Strengthened organisational capacity of CSOs (Participation Committees, Local Trade Unions, Worker Cafes, Sectoral Trade Unions, LNGOs) and LAs (Labour Welfare Centres) to effectively represent and empower workers.

Result 1 Outputs:

• A set of training materials on internal governance including gender issues, holding democratic elections and the principles of inclusiveness and participation
• A training manual on organisational development and financial management including fundraising and human resources management.
• 100 trainers from 12 Sectoral Trade Unions able to train on all aspects of organisational capacity
• 400 local Trade Union leaders and 550 women leaders trained on all aspects of organisational capacity
• 1,750 members of Participation Committees trained as above
• 25 Worker Cafés (5 existing and 20 new) with strengthened organisational structures
• 550 women trained in basic leadership and life skills
• 175 women trained in advanced leadership skills
• 100 existing Participation Committees at factory sites have greater capacity to support workers and have robust internal governance processes in place
• 150 new Participation Committees set up with robust internal governance processes in place

Result 2: Strengthened technical capacity of CSOs (Local Trade Unions, Women Worker Cafes, Sectoral Trade Unions, LNGOs) to monitor, advocate and hold the government and business owners to account.

Result 2 Outputs:

• Training manual on labour rights, legal frameworks etc.
• 100 Sectoral Trade Union leaders trained as trainers on all aspects of labour rights and skills such as negotiation, dispute resolution, collective bargaining and advocacy.
• 400 local Trade Union leaders, 1750 PC members and 550 women peer leaders trained on all aspects of labour rights and skills such as negotiation, dispute resolution, collective bargaining and advocacy
• 5 LNGOs (co-applicants) with technical skills and knowledge to support the implementation of the decent work agenda
• Approximately 20 staff from 2 labour Welfare Centres with enhanced technical and organisational capacity to support workers and LAs

Result 3: Improved multi-actor coordination, dialogue and partnership for accountability and greater public awareness of entitlements.

Result 3 Outputs:

• 20 members of 3 Owners Associations sensitised on their responsibilities relating to the existing labour laws, policies and ordinances
• Increased organisational capacity of the Worker Safety Forum and a campaign strategy developed
• Forums and seminars hosted between all stakeholders on labour issues
• Communication plan developed for advocacy and campaigning activities
• User-friendly IEC and campaign materials developed
• Increased public awareness of legal framework and labour rights through TV slots and SMS

Result 4: Enhanced operationalization of the Labour Policy and Law through inclusive policy-making and the creation of a knowledge base

Result 4 Outputs:

• Comprehensive review of Legal Framework gaps and deficiencies
• Worker Safety Forum Advocacy working group established
• Democratic Budget Movement’s Labour Group and WSF trained on budget tracking
• Regular published analysis of government spending on Labour Policy and Law
• Young Leaders Forum established
• Research on new Trade Unions, violation of freedom of association in Bangladesh and role of Participation Committees
• Case studies on good and bad labour practices
• Recommendations for the enhanced implementation of the Labour Policy and Law