While countries like India and Bangladesh are taking steps to protect garment exports by signing free trade agreements, the Free Trade Zone General Employees’ Association alleges that the Sri Lankan government has no plan in this regard.
The immediate example of this is the loss of jobs of over 1,400 workers in the Katunayake Trade Zone, said Anton Marcus, the association’s joint secretary.
He also said that there are currently no vacancies in garment jobs, and as a result, a situation has arisen where the 1,400 workers of the garment factory that was closed in Katunayake are unable to find jobs elsewhere.
He said that this situation of no vacancies has arisen due to the lack of textile orders, and stressed that finding new jobs is a big problem for the 1,400 people who lost their jobs in Katunayake, in a situation where many factories are laying off workers who have worked for less than 6 months.
Marcus accused the government of not planning ahead to deal with the emerging crisis in the garment industry, and that this government is not even holding discussions with those who know the sector to get suggestions.
Meanwhile, he said that the Deputy Minister of Labor has not yet informed his party to discuss the problem of the workers of the closed garment factory in Katunayake.