The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) has proposed new requirements for workers’ thresholds for forming trade unions, calibrated according to the size of a factory’s workforce, in direct opposition to the Tripartite Consultative Committee’s (TCC) proposed amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) 2006.

The council warned that the government’s draft could severely restrict workers’ rights to unionise, particularly in smaller factories.

Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka on Monday, Salauddin Swapan, former secretary general of the IBC, criticised the government plan as a major blow to workers’ fundamental right to organise.

He said the proposed minimum membership requirements would prevent many small and medium-sized establishments from forming unions, undermining employees’ ability to engage in collective bargaining.

According to the TCC’s draft, factories employing 50–500 workers would need at least 50 members to form a union; those with 501–1,000 workers would require 100; 1,001–3,000 workers would need 300; and establishments with over 3,000 employees would require 400 members.

The rules for factories with fewer than 50 workers are yet to be finalised, raising concerns that thousands of smaller workplaces could be effectively excluded from unionisation.

In response, the IBC has proposed a more inclusive system of thresholds. Factories with 20–50 workers would require 10 members; 51–200 workers, 20; 201–400 workers, 30; and 401–500 workers, 40.

Larger establishments would require 50 members for 501–1,000 workers, 100 for 1,001–3,000, and 300 for factories with more than 3,000 employees.

Swapan said these thresholds would ensure that workers of all establishments retain the ability to organise and protect their rights.

The IBC stated that under the proposed amendments, factories with 1,050 workers would need at least 30 per cent of employees as union members to register a union, warning that failure to meet this threshold would render unions ineligible.

It said that under the current law, unions can be formed with the support of just 20 per cent of workers.

IBC also recalled that a previous Parliament had passed a law allowing union formation with 15 per cent membership, but the President returned it for technical reasons.

IBC argued that the new amendments would further limit workers’ rights, particularly affecting small and medium-sized factories where achieving a 30 per cent membership could be challenging.

On the matter of Collective Bargaining Agents (CBAs), IBC leader Swapan said that in workplaces with a single union, the existing CBA should remain in effect, while in establishments with multiple unions, the union securing the highest number of votes through an election would act as the CBA and lead all collective bargaining activities.

The IBC also urged the government to repeal the newly inserted Section 27(3)(ka) and Section 26 of the BLA 2006, citing conflicts with International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.

Swapan called for additional workers’ protections, including six months’ maternity leave for all female employees, a reduction of resignation notice from 60 to 30 days, and fair severance pay based on completed years of service.

Criticising the narrow focus of the proposed reforms, Swapan said that discussions have largely concentrated on union membership thresholds, while other crucial labour issues remain unresolved.

These include properly defining ‘worker,’ ensuring coverage of all employees under the law, regulating working hours, providing fair wages, maternity leave, and compensation for workplace accidents.

The IBC warned that if the government finalises the amendments without addressing workers’ concerns, it will organise regional conventions in Gazipur, Savar-Ashulia, Narayanganj, and Chattogram, leading to a nationwide movement.