News and articles

April 2015

  1. Rana Plaza commemoration highlights progress made and challenges ahead in Bangladesh ready-made garment sector

    23 April 2015

    Speakers at a commemoration event to mark the second Rana Plaza anniversary recognised the progress made towards creating a safer ready-made garment (RMG) sector for Bangladesh while stressing the need for further improvements to working conditions and worker rights in the industry.

  2. ILO calls for greater social dialogue in Bangladesh RMG sector

    21 April 2015

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for greater social dialogue among representatives of government, employers and workers within the Bangladesh ready-made garment sector, highlighting the gains this would bring.

  3. Unified contract for migrant garment workers in Jordan unveiled at buyers’ forum

    02 April 2015

    The contract is one of the main provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between employer associations and the garment union designed to improve industrial relations and working conditions.

March 2015

  1. Help line launched for Bangladesh worker safety and rights

    15 March 2015

    A telephone Help line for workers to make and resolve grievances relating to workplace safety or workers’ rights has been launched in Bangladesh.

September 2014

  1. Free Trade Zones: What are the challenges for Workers in Sri Lanka?

    26 September 2014

    Following the Global Dialogue Forum on Wages and Working Hours in the Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries held in Geneva from 23 - 25 September 2014, Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary of Free Zones and General Services Employees Union, explains the challenges facing by workers in Free Trade Zones in Sri Lanka. He also underlines the role of ILO to improve social dialogue and collective bargaining in Sri Lanka.

  2. RMG trade union members learn safety and organisational skills

    24 September 2014

    Trade union members will be better placed to enhance conditions in the Ready Made Garment (RMG) sector following a week-long programme of training activities designed to increase their organizational capacity and involvement in occupational safety committees.

April 2014

  1. © Munir Uz Zaman / AFP 2022
    Working conditions in Bangladesh: challenges and opportunities

    23 April 2014

    On the 28th April, the ILO’s Bureau for Workers’ Activities will organise a panel discussion, to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Rana Plaza. Discussions focus on the role of ILO and its constituents in the prevention of such tragedies. Below are some views of the attending participants’ to this panel about the current challenges to improve health and safety at workplace in Bangladesh.

October 2013

  1. ILO Deputy Director General calls for faster implementation of the new labour law in Bangladesh

    30 October 2013

    Opening the conference “Bangladesh 2013: The Rising Demand for Labour Standards”, ILO Deputy Director General Gilbert Houngbo called for faster implementation of the new labour law to protect workers after the Rana Plaza building collapse which killed 1,130 workers in Bangladesh six months ago.