Social dialogues key to labour market’s recovery during pandemic: Experts

Experts have emphasised the importance of effective social dialogues to help recover the labour market going through a tough time during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The observation was made at a virtual dialogue on Recovery of the Labour Market during Covid-19: Role of Trade Union jointly organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) on Saturday.

After the profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global economy, particularly on the world of work during the first half of 2020, a significant part since then has been struggling for rebounding and recovery, according to the participants.

The major struggle has been confronted by different worker groups, including regular, temporary, and casual workers and small-scale employers, particularly those self-employed and involved in micro small medium enterprises, retailing, construction, road, commerce, tourism, and other informal sectors, they said.

Trade union policy strategy should focus on the world of work, particularly highlighting the workers of those who are organised and unorganised, they suggested.

The dialogue was also told that the rebounding and recovery of the world of work particularly those of workers and employers have been supported mainly by different public policies and interventions.

Like other countries, trade unions in Bangladesh have played an active role both in humanitarian issues and workers’ rights issues during this crisis period, said experts.

Speaking at the event, Labour and Employment Secrete ray KM Abdus Salam said the government has been monitoring the labour market affected by the pandemic.

ILO Country Director for Bangladesh TuomoPoutiainen said the government should focus on providing a social safety net to laborers in both formal and informal sectors.

Tripartite coordination is vital to reduce the communication gap among the stakeholders, said Syed Manzur Elahi, former advisor to the caretaker government.

Member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and BILS Vice Chairman Shirin Akhter reiterated the need for continued social dialogue with the participation of all.

CPD Executive Director Fahmida Khatun, and BILS Executive Director Nazrul Islam Khan, among others, joined the event.