"PREPARE - Promotion of Responsible Representation for Workers and Employers"

The PREPARE project in Bangladesh has been developed to improve the efficacy of worker representation in factories by

1) providing a platform for labor-management dialogue;

2) establishing a system of communication, consultation, and negotiation;

3) providing capacity training to worker representatives and factory management on their roles and responsibilities;

4) promoting a sustainable training model that will ensure that all workers and supervisors in the factory receive regular training on local labor laws. 

The poor quality, or indeed absence, of in-house communication structures and channels can have a significant negative impact on the effectiveness of worker participation and representation, which in turn can lead to an increased risk of conflict, barriers to continuous improvement, and masking of inefficient work processes. For many years, Bangladesh exempted its Export Processing Zones (EPZs) from the law that granted workers the right to organize and bargain collectively. In 2004, the government passed legislation that would restore these rights, but implementation and enforcement of these laws have been weak to date. There remains a widespread lack of awareness regarding collective bargaining rights among workers and managers, particularly in the ready-made goods industries. In recognition of the general low level of worker organization and representation in Bangladeshi factories, the FLA has introduced the PREPARE project.