One year on, brands still failing Rana Plaza survivors and victims’ families

Activists from Labour Behind the Label, War on Want [Read WoW report on the day of action here], the TUC and Made in Europe are planning to form a human chain along Oxford Street to remember those killed while making clothes for the UK high street. They will be joined by Amin Haque, the general secretary of the National Garment Workers Federation, one of the Bangladesh unions leading the call for compensation.

The groups are demanding that all those brands buying from Rana Plaza immediately pay into a Fund set up by the ILO to provide compensation to those injured in the collapse and the families of those killed. They are also demanding that all brands, including GAP and Asda, sign up to the Bangladesh Accord, an agreement launched last May which aims to prevent future tragedies.

The event is part of a global day of action to mark the first anniversary of the collapse, with organisations including the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, Clean Clothes Campaign, Human Rights Watch, IndustriALL Global Union, International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF), Maquila Solidarity Network, UNI Global Union and Workers Rights Consortium holding memorials, rallies and events in over 20 cities worldwide; including demonstrations in front of stores in London,Toronto, New York, Antwerp and Istanbul; in Bangladesh workers and union members will be holding commemorative events including a human chain at the site of the collapsed building in Dhaka.

In February a Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund was opened to collect contributions to fund payments provided under the “Arrangement”, a ground-breaking agreement between brands, the government of Bangladesh, employers, international and national unions and NGOs to develop an inclusive and transparent compensation programme for Rana Plaza victims. $40 million is needed in the Fund to ensure full compensation can be paid to all the survivors and families of those killed.

A year after the collapse brands and retailers have contributed a mere US$ 15 million to the Trust Fund, just one third of the US$40million needed. A number of large brands, including Benetton and Matalan have yet to contribute a penny in compensation. Walmart, one of the worlds biggest retailer and represented here in the UK by Asda, has paid just $1million. Mango has refused to disclose its payment, but calculations suggest they may have paid less than $100,000 “We are gathering on Oxford Street to remember those who lost their lives whilst producing clothes for us and to demand change for those who continue to work interrible conditions, says Sam Maher from Labour Behind the Label, “we want to remind consumers and brands that despite all the promises made just one year ago justice has still not been done for the families of Rana Plaza”

“It is imperative that brands such as Benetton and Matalan pay up immediately and that brands such as Mango, Inditex and C&A increase their contributions. But we urge all the brands that have been working in Bangladesh to contribute to the fund with a considerable sum. They share a collective responsibility for this profoundly unsustainable production model and its hazards, this model that we are now about to change,” says Jyrki Raina, of IndustriALL Global Union.

“Fourteen major brands have contributed just US$7 million between them, brands that include the world’s largest retailer Walmart,” says Phillip Jennings of UNI Global Union. “It is inexcusable that Walmart has only contributed $1 million to the Fund. We’re calling on the company to make a donation which reflects their size and responsibility as a buyer in Rana Plaza.”

Notes to EditorFurther information sources:

• Information about Clean Clothes Campaign : www.cleanclothes.org/ranaplaza
• Events taking place on April 24th: https://www.facebook.com/events/213881798811040/
• Further information on the Arrangement: www.ranaplaza-arrangement.org
• Background on the collapse of Rana Plaza: http://www.cleanclothes.org/resources/publications/still-waiting/

Additional Information

Primark have contributed US$7million under the auspices of the scheme. In addition brands who did not have a relationship with Rana Plaza including N Brown Group, VF Corporation and Gap have made contributions as buyers from Bangladesh.

Rana Plaza collapsed on April 24th 2013 killing 1,138 and injuring over 2000 more. Most of those killed and injured worked in one of the five factories housed in the building. Workers in the banks and shops on the ground floor had refused to re-enter the unsafe building.

In the aftermath of the collapse of Rana Plaza over 150 brands have signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. This independent and legally binding agreement is designed to make all garment factories in Bangladesh safe workplaces. More information can be found here: www.bangladeshaccord.org