A qualitative study of the working conditions in the readymade garment industry and the impact on workers’ health and wellbeing

Kabir, Humayun; Maple, Myfanwy; Islam, Md Shahidul; Usher, Kim

doi:10.1539/eohp.2021-0020-ohw

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In discussing this finding, we examine how these managerial attitudes impact the objective well-being in the workplace (we are aware that subjective well-being is also an important issue; however, this study focuses on the objective aspects of well-being-workplace behaviours and management practices). Studies suggest that workplace well-being has been impacted in the RMG industry because of exploitative workplace conditions [24,74]. Managers described that they have an anti-harassment policy, but it was evident that these policies are primarily developed to secure audit certificates and to continue their contracts with international brands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Industry: Exploring Workplace Well-Being Issues in Policy and Practice

Akter,

Teicher,

Alam

2024

Sustainability

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Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the workplace are major issues that affect the work environment and employee well-being. These issues have received little attention from managers in the ready-made garments (RMG) factories or policymakers more generally in Bangladesh, despite the comprehensive approach to restructuring the industry following two devastating industrial accidents. This research examines the role played by RMG factory managers in eliminating gender-based violence and increasing positive work experiences and well-being in the workplace, and the policy initiatives from the government with the aim to stop workplace violence. The study uses qualitative methods—document analysis and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that measures to protect workers from GBVH are absent in employment regulation. Though there are high court directives on workplace harassment, these have not been implemented effectively. The findings show that women workers have faced longstanding GBVH, which has impacted their well-being. The increasing rate of women leaving RMG sector jobs reflects how women workers’ well-being issues have been disregarded within the factories.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Industry: Exploring Workplace Well-Being Issues in Policy and Practice

Akter,

Teicher,

Alam

2024

Sustainability

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“…A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken to extract findings under common themes. Following the six steps narrated by Braun and Clarke ( 18 ), which was commonly used in the previous health research ( 19 , 20 ), reflexive thematic analysis was done. First, two authors familiarised with the data of the finally included studies, followed by deep immersion with the data by reading and re-reading.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preventative health assessments and indigenous people of Australia: a scoping review

Usher,

Jackson,

Kabir

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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Given that Indigenous populations globally are impacted by similar colonial global legacies, their health and other disaprities are usually worse than non-indigenous people. Indigenous peoples of Australia have been seriously impacted by colonial legacies and as a result, their health has negatively been affected. If Indigenous health and wellbeing are to be promoted within the existing Australian health services, a clear understanding of what preventive health means for Indigenous peoples is needed. The aim of this scoping review was to explore the available literature on the uptake/engagement in health assessments or health checks by Indigenous Australian peoples and to determine the enablers and barriers and of health assessment/check uptake/engagement. Specifically, we aimed to: investigate the available evidence reporting the uptake/engagement of health checks/assessments for Australian Indigenous; assess the quality of the available evidence on indigenous health checks/assessments; and identify the enablers or barriers affecting Indigenous persons’ engagement and access to health assessment/health checks. A systematic search of online databases (such as Cinhl, Scopus, ProQuest health and medicine, PubMed, informit, google scholar and google) identified 10 eligible publications on Indigenous preventive health assessments. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three major themes on preventive health assessments: (1) uptake/engagement; (2) benefits and limitations; and (3) enablers and barriers. Findings revealed that Indigenous peoples’ uptake and/or engagement in health assessments/check is a holistic concept varied by cultural factors, gender identity, geographical locations (living in regional and remote areas), and Indigenous clinical leadership/staff’s motivational capacity. Overall, the results indicate that there has been improving rates of uptake of health assessments by some sections of Indigenous communities. However, there is clearly room for improvement, both for aboriginal men and women and those living in regional and remote areas. In addition, barriers to uptake of health asessments were identified as length of time required for the assessment, intrusive or sensitive questions and shame, and lack of access to health services for some. Indigenous clinical leadership is needed to improve services and encourage Indigenous people to participate in routine health assessments.

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“…The participants were recruited by following purposive and snowball sampling techniques, commonly used in previous studies on the Bangladesh RMG sector (Kabir et al 2021a , b ; Kabir et al 2019a , 2018 ; Naved et al 2018 ; Fitch et al 2017 , 2015 ; Steinisch et al 2013 ). The first author had previous work experience conducting research in Bangladesh RMG settings and maintained regular communication with the on-site contact persons (Kabir 2022 ; Kabir et al 2022 ; Kabir et al 2021a , b ; Kabir et al 2019a ; Kabir et al 2018 ), who managed the required workers for the interview purposes. Specific guidelines and unstructured questionnaires were followed to conduct in-depth interviews with both male and female workers, aged 18 and above, and having a minimum 1 year work experience in the RMG sector.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Paradoxical Impacts of the Minimum Wage Implementation on Ready-made Garment (RMG) Workers: A Qualitative Study

Kabir

Maple

Islam

et al. 2022

Ind. J. Labour Econ.

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There is no regular mandated increase in minimum wages for workers employed in the Bangladesh ready-made garment (RMG) industry. Workers in the past have relied on optional bonuses added to their monthly incomes to supplement their wages. However, a new minimum wage implemented in January 2019 in the Bangladesh RMG sector increased wages for many workers who are known to work under poor and exploitative working conditions. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen currently employed RMG workers (female: 13, male: 2), which led to data saturation. The participants were purposively recruited from both export processing zone (EPZ) and non-EPZ factories located in Dhaka and Chattogram, the two largest cities of Bangladesh where the majority of RMG factories are situated. Transcribed interviews were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that working hours, production targets, work pressure, and workplace abuse have an impact on workers’ health and well-being. In line with the Marxist notion of the “accumulation of capital”, we argue that due to the profit maximization mindset of RMG owners and international brands, workers have not received the potential benefit of the newly implemented minimum wage as their conditions have been changed in other ways to offset the increase in salary. The article contributes to understanding how factory owners’ profit maximization mindset dispossessed workers from receiving the real benefits of the newly implemented minimum wage and forced them to continue working within exploitative working environments. The study shows that the impact of minimum wages on poverty reduction is unlikely and outline the need for RMG labour market reform.

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A qualitative study of the working conditions in the readymade garment industry and the impact on workers’ health and wellbeing

Cited by 8 publications

References 32 publications

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Industry: Exploring Workplace Well-Being Issues in Policy and Practice

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Industry: Exploring Workplace Well-Being Issues in Policy and Practice

Preventative health assessments and indigenous people of Australia: a scoping review

The Paradoxical Impacts of the Minimum Wage Implementation on Ready-made Garment (RMG) Workers: A Qualitative Study

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