HRM450: Labor Management Relations

Collective Bargaining Write-up (2)

Section: 02

GROUP - D

Submitted To:
Md. Al-Amin (Mli)
Senior Lecturer
School of Business & Economics
North South University

Submitted By:
Tanjim Muniyat 112 1011 030
Shakila Parvin Tumpa 152 0190 630
Ashiqur Rahman Ratul 161 0279 030
Sohini Saayantani Saha 173 1114 030
Nawshin Jahan 173 1258 030

Date of Submission: September 5, 2020

Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

Table of Contents

Collective Bargaining (2)................................................................................................................3

Negotiation on Health and safety issue:......................................................................................3

Child care.....................................................................................................................................5

Consequences of strike:...............................................................................................................6

References........................................................................................................................................7

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Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

Collective Bargaining (2)

Thank you management association to arrange collective bargaining session we hope we will
come up with a constructive solution.

Negotiation on Health and safety issue:

For the first demand, in our hospital recently one of our housekeepers was stuck while closing
the lid of a sharps disposal container that was full and last year one of nurse became HIV
positive. Therefore, we want to set up a labor- management sharps safety committee so that this
committee can make strategies and implement that. Which will helps to prevent accident and
select safe product.

According to Bangladesh labor law 2006, section 90 (A), creation of safety committee is
mandatory where fifty or more than fifty workers are working ("বাংলাদেশ শ্রম আইন, ২০০৬ | ৯০ক।
সেইফটি কমিটি গঠন", 2020) and according to section 90, if worker is less than 25 than they must
be maintain safety record books. ("বাংলাদেশ শ্রম আইন, ২০০৬ | ৯০৷ সেইফটি রেকর্ড বুক সংরক্ষণ",
2020)

Therefore, we want safety committee according to health and safety law.

According to a estimation each year 11000 worker is victimize of fatal accident and more 24,500
worker deaths due to work related diseases across each sector in Bangladesh. There are many of
research, which shows that work place is preventable through taking some initiative. ("Safety
and health at work in Bangladesh (ILO in Bangladesh)", 2020)

Even in recent pandemic Covid 19, we can see 11% of Covid 19 cases are among health
workers. Therefore, employer should more concern about workplace safety. ("Bangladesh: 11%
COVID-19 cases among health workers", 2020)

We also want to choose three labors, which are half of the committee. Therefore, that committee
can take a neutral and non-biased decision. As according to Bangladesh Labor Act 2013, section
90(a) committee should have equal representative of management and union, which assist
management to create a safe work place environment so management should accept our demand.

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Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

For second demand, it is necessary to reduce accident to conduct meetings and research
regularly. According to Bangladesh Labor Rule Schedule IV (3) organizations, safety committee
should sit for the meeting in every month for its effectiveness. If not possible then at least thrice
a year. However, these meetings cannot be held if there is not enough encouragement to this.
After working on a long shift, it is tough for the committee members to held or attend a meeting.
Considering this Bangladesh Labor Rule stated on Schedule IV 11& 12 that- Employer must
give time the committee member off during working hours in addition to the time off for
meetings to work on their safety tasks and prepare for the meeting including the time spent on
committee tasks including all the committee cost as the workers are actually working to build a
better the work environment thus the better the reputation and goodwill of the hospital.
International Labor Organization recently drafted a series on where no 121 which is referred as
the ‘Employer pays principal’ states clearly that the entire committee system should be funded
by the employer[CITATION Law15 \l 1033 ]. Exactly same thing is stated in the ‘safety
committee a guide to their establishment and operation by Occupational Safety and Health
Branch Labor Department. In the draft, constitution they proposed to finalize the fact the
company shall bear all the cost of the committee [ CITATION Kar97 \l 1033 ]. Management
might oppose to pay the amount. They might complain for money but if we consider the fact
that, the compensation they must pay if our workers injures and the amount of cases of injuries
happening lately then it is much affordable to them. According to OSHA the estimated cost the
company must bear due to employees’ workplace injuries and turnover rate is almost close to
2300000 to 8800000 [ CITATION Pet00 \l 1033 ]. However, if the organization spends money
to reduce the amount of accident, which is on survey, research then not only they can save a lot
of money but also it will help them to build a good reputation. Therefore, we believe it will be a
win-win situation for the both parties.

For the final demand, it is good for both sides to appoint arbitrator rather than relying on the
conciliator. The reasons are that appointing arbitrator is a cheaper process to settle the dispute
and come up with an alternative solution for both parties where the arbitrator’s decision will be
the final one[ CITATION The18 \l 1033 ]. Keeping this issue unsettled or relying on labor
tribunal to settle will not enable to run hospital smoothly. That is why it is better for both parties
to appoint an arbitrator who will settle the dispute in a peaceful way. Hence, the cost of
organization will be safe the operational activity of the organization will not be hindered.

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Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

Child care

According to section 94 (1) of Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006, every workplace, having forty or
more employees, must provide and maintain room or rooms for having an on-site child care
center. These rooms are mainly used for children who are under the age of six. As Getwell
Hospital is a part of the National Medical Corporation having 625 employees currently, it has
become quite a necessity for them to establish an on-site child care center in the hospital.
Providing child care center will not only help the mothers but also benefit Getwell Hospital. This
is because the female employees having young children will feel relieved and calm aside from
giving better focus in their work.

The hospital will not have to expand their area rather they can renovate the vacant space, which
will cost them less than BDT 3,000,000 only. The employees are also willing to bear the expense
of the teachers and other supplements needed for their children even when it is mandatory for the
hospital to take care of the expenses according to section 94 (2) of Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006.
This will be more affordable for the mothers than the private daycare centers, which are a bit
above their budget.

As claimed by Wahida Banu, a child rights activist, working mothers who leave their small kids
at home with domestic help or family members cannot focus entirely on their jobs or other daily
tasks. Furthermore, an on-site child care center can fulfill the necessities of the infants such as
being breastfed by their working mothers and getting to spend time with them while the mothers
can monitor them strictly (Jahan, 2019). This way the mothers are at ease with a whole bundle of
stress off their shoulders and they shall become more productive and efficient in the workplace,
which is always a plus point for Getwell Hospital.

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Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

Consequences of strike:

We decide that, if management does not accept our demand we will go for strike. If the strike
continues for at least one week this can be a cause for huge financial loss for hospital.

After increasing wages this year we will provide monthly (16,680+2,000) = BDT 18,680,

Per week cost for management will be (18680/ 4.17) = BDT 4,480 (approx)

Therefore, for 625 workers this cost will be BDT 2,800,000 and this is huge amount and
strike also affects company’s reputation.

If management considers union’s demand, so that worker will get a better work environment as a
result accident or death rate will decline. Therefore, management can save their compensation
cost against workplace hazards or death. In addition, a proper child care will decrease
absenteeism rate and it increase worker’s engagement with work so these factors will also affect
company’s profitability.

Therefore, we hope that management will understand and consider our demand and collaborate
with us.

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Collective Bargaining 2 (Union)

References

Safety and health at work in Bangladesh (ILO in Bangladesh). (2020). Retrieved 4 September 2020, from
https://www.ilo.org/dhaka/Areasofwork/safety-and-health-at-work/lang--en/index.htm

Bangladesh: 11% COVID-19 cases among health workers. (2020). Retrieved 4 September 2020, from
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/bangladesh-11-covid-19-cases-among-health-
workers/1826014

বাংলাদেশ শ্রম আইন, ২০০৬ | ৯০৷ সেইফটি রেকর্ড বুক সংরক্ষণ. (2020). Retrieved 5 September 2020, from
http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-952/section-29972.html

বাংলাদেশ শ্রম আইন, ২০০৬ | ৯০ক। সেইফটি কমিটি গঠন. (2020). Retrieved 5 September 2020, from
http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-952/section-43726.html

Dorman, P. (2000, May). The Economics of Safety, Health, and Well-Being at Work: An Overview.
Retrieved from International Labor Organization: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---
ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/publication/wcms_110382.pdf

Kjaer, K. (1997). Handbook for Joint Safety and Health Committee in the English-Speaking caribbean.
Retrieved from Internation Labor Organization: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---
americas/---ro-lima/---sro-port_of_spain/documents/publication/wcms_224326.pdf

Law on Occupational Safety and Health. (2015, June 25). Retrieved from International Labor
Organization: https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/MONOGRAPH/99774/119205/F-
595449136/VNM99774.pdf

Managing Heath And Safety in the Workplace. (n.d.). Retrieved from Ministry of Labor and
Employement, Goverment of Bangladesh:
https://dife.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/dife.portal.gov.bd/publications/00084045_2b
b2_4159_861b_1cc488c45881/5%20Managing%20Health%20and%20Safety%20in%20the
%20work%20place_%20English%20V9.pdf

Worker Safety In Hospital, Caring for our Caregivers. (n.d.). Retrieved from United States Department of
Labor : https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hospitals/

Jahan, N. (2019, January 18). How long will it take for employers to offer childcare centers?

Retrieved September 4, 2020, from The Daily Star website: https://www.thedailystar.net/star-

weekend/human-rights/news/how-long-will-it-take-employers-offer-childcare-centres-1689028

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