Effects of Human Resource Management Practices on Labor Dispute of Readymade Garment Sector of Bangladesh

Abstract

Labour dispute is the most important issue the readymade garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh has been facing at present. Labour dispute (LD) creates lose-lose situation and impairs the interest of both the workers and employers and thereby creates barriers in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by hampering economic development of the country. For achieving SDGs within due times, it is necessary to maintain harmonious industrial relation (HIR) in RMG sector. In a HIR both the employers and workers change their mind set up and builds an environment of mutual understanding and trust. Workers with high motivation and commitment consider the interest of the employers as their own interest and always try to avoid dispute. HIR can be maintained through proper exercise of human resource management (HRM) practices. As LD is high in RMG sector, it is necessary to know to what extent HRM practices are exercised in this sector and whether these practices are responsible for labour dispute or not. To do so a questionnaire survey has been conducted on 384 workers of grade IV to grade VII of four major districts. Five focus group discussions and eight key informant interviews also have been conducted to triangulate the data. The findings indicate that HRM practices are poorly exercised in this sector. Among these practices inadequate wages, irregularity in paying wages, sudden dismissal, misbehavior and using slang language, inadequate scope for negotiation are important.