Labour specialists warn, however, that the decision of states to suspend federal and state labour laws enshrining workers' rights would push even more people into the informal sector, drive down wages and erode working conditions. Under the planned labour law suspensions announced so far, working shifts in the six states would be extended from eight hours to 12 hours for a three-month period. "This was done to improve investment and labour employment... We just want factories to restart," said one state labour official, speaking on condition of anonymity. And for workers already enduring poor conditions prior to the lockdown, labour experts fear things could get far worse. "This (suspension of laws) will push many to poverty," said the former head of the labour ministry's panel on minimum wages.

Source: bd News24 May 13, 2020 00:00 UTC