Do Labour Welfare Policies Matter for Workers? Evidence from the Garment Supply Chain Industry in Bangladesh

Abstract

The paper focusses on workers’ opinions in regard to welfare policies enacted under the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006. The study investigates two questions: Do labour welfare policies under labour law really matter for workers? If so, to what extent are such welfare policies practised in the global garment supply chain industry in Bangladesh? The Binary Logistic Regression technique has been used to assess the opinions of garment workers as to whether their level of satisfaction increases by workers’ welfare facility interventions. The data were collected from compliant and export-oriented factories between July 2021 and August 2021 in three Upazilas-Savar Ashulia (Dhaka District) and Gazipur Sadar (Gazipur District) in Bangladesh. This study demonstrates that overtime facilities, medical facilities, safety measures, restroom facilities, lunchroom facilities, and childcare facilities can play a pivotal role in increasing the satisfaction level of the workers. Given the similar socio-economic and geographical backgrounds, this research can be applied to the garment manufacturing industries of other South Asian countries. It serves as a valuable tool for understanding workers' attitudes and beliefs about welfare provisions. By applying the findings of this study, one can better comprehend the needs of the workers in terms of various labor welfare motivational tools.