Govt raises annual increment for garment workers to 9 per cent

The government increased the annual increment of garment workers at 9 percent from 5 percent, according to a circular issued by the labour and employment ministry on Sunday.

The new increment will come into effect from December 1 and the workers will receive the salary with a 9 per cent annual increment in January. The other service benefits of the workers will not be cut because of the increase of the annual increment, said the circular.

Earlier, the minimum wage board recommended the government last month to increase the annual increment by four per cent along with existing five percent to make it 9 per cent.
With a massive labour unrest in August and September, the government adopted 18 point demands in September including the review of the annual increment to cool down the unrest.

Finally, the annual increment has been fixed at 9 per cent instead of 10 percent, the percentage the workers demanded.