News

A year on from the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety negotiated by UNI Global Union and IndustriALL Global Union continues to make big steps forward.  More than 160 global brands have committed to the Accord, a program of unprecedented scale, independence, rigor and transparency. The agreement now covers 1600 factories employing 2 million workers.

The inspection program is in full operation. The Accord is an unprecedented, legally-binding agreement between brands and global unions which aims to make the Bangladeshi garment sector safe and sustainable across a five year term. It came about as a result of more than 1,800 preventable deaths from fires and factory collapses in the last seven years. Rana Plaza was the tragic tipping point.

A year after Rana Plaza, multinational clothing brands are still failing to meet the US$ 40 million target to pay fair compensation to the victims. Brand contributions to the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund remain wholly inadequate. Only around US$ 15 million has been paid into the fund, established to give financial and medical support to the victims and their families consistent with guidelines set by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

UNI Europa supported the solidarity action organised by the achACT platform on 24 April 2014, in commemoration of the tragic events occurred a year ago. The achACT platform associated with the World March of Women conducted a solidarity action. They organized a fashion show on a carpet composed of "human bodies" to symbolise the human cost of fashion and the terrible price paid by Bangladeshi workers. 150 people actively participated in the action and many bystanders were sensitised.

Similar actions were taken in Antwerp. In Bangladesh, demonstrations took place this morning. Some participants were wrapped in white shrouds. The solidarity action in Brussels saw the participation of 11.11.11, CNE, CSC, CSC Metea, FGTB, Central Generale FGTB, CSC Youth, FGTB Youth, Oxfam, SETCa, World Solidarity, Test-Achats FOS and UNI Europa, among others.

Participants urged bystanders and shoppers to demand that the multinational brands pay their fair compensation to the victims. They must act upon their collective responsibility in this unsustainable global supply model.

See the achACT platform and associated press release: http://www.achact.be/news-info-165.htm

See also the UNI Bangladesh Accord website for more material: www.unibangladeshaccord.org