Garment worker remuneration as good as other industries, says EFC

Financial Times

Garment worker remuneration as good as other industries, says EFC The Sunday Times, Sunday, January 18, 2009 The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), said in a statement this week, that garment industry worker remuneration packages are not less attractive compared to other industries. The findings are based on a ‘Wages and Fringe Benefits Survey in the Apparel Industry,’ conducted by the Responsible Business Initiatives Unit of the EFC. The EFC, the employers’ trade union, came up with its own survey findings to counter allegations that workers in the apparel sector get less attractive remuneration packages, compared to their counterparts in other industries. “Although the survey covers only 21 factories, it represents a fair cross-section of the industry and the findings reveal that apart from the basic wages granted to the workers, there are many other fringe benefits ranging from incentive schemes, medical facilities, bonuses etc given to these employees,” said the EFC in the statement. The EFC says that according to its findings, the average minimum wage of a sewing operator is over Rs 7,000 per month. The average maximum wage is over Rs 10,000 per month. Almost all the companies which participated in the survey also grant various types of allowances and bonuses to their employees over and above the basic wage, which enhances their earning capacity and the take home pay. In addition, 80% of the companies surveyed have employee recognition schemes, which are intended to recognise employees who have performed exceptionally well. Almost all companies revise salaries annually and some of companies have a performance based salary increment system. The publication which contains the findings of the survey is available for sale at the EFC.