News

Nearly 30 demonstrators, including a survivor of the Rana Plaza building collapse, were arrested this morning after organizing a peaceful protest at Children’s Place headquarters in Secaucus, NJ. The protestors were there to ask the company to pay compensation to victims of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry, which killed 1,138 workers and injured another 2,500. Children’s Place was one of the major brands sourcing from Rana Plaza at the time that it collapsed. 18-year-old Mahinur Begum,  a former garment worker who was nearly killed in the collapse, was at Children’s Place today to demand full and fair compensation for herself and her coworkers.

 Rather than listen to this brave survivor and her colleagues, Children’s Place called police and had the peaceful demonstrators arrested. It is the latest callous act from a company that has refused to take responsibility for the deplorable human rights violations occurring in its supply chain. It has contributed a mere $450,000 to the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund, 15 times less than what companies of similar size and level of purchasing from Rana Plaza have paid into the fund. The $8 million demonstrators asked Children’s Place to contribute is half the salary CEO Jane Elfers earned in 2012.

 Children’s Place’s continued refusal to pay the $8 million it owes Rana Plaza victims is corporate greed, plain and simple. And now it’s trying to silence criticism rather than do the right thing for Mahinur and her coworkers.

 Please take action today to hold Children’s Place accountable!

• Call The Children’s Place at 201-558-2400 to deliver the following message: “As a concerned consumer, I am outraged that the Children’s Place chose to have peaceful protestors arrested rather than pay compensation to the victims of the Rana Plaza factory collapse. Please ensure all charges against the demonstrators are dropped, and Pay Up the $8 million you owe to the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund!” When calling, use the following extensions to reach applicable staff:
• Anurup Pruthi, extension: 37351
  Chief Financial Officer
• Brad Cost, extension: 37496
  Senior Vice President, General Counsel
• Greg Poole, extension: 37635
  Senior Vice President of Global Sourcing
• Arrange your own action at a local Children’s Place store to show we will not be silenced! Get resources and ideas for actions at http://orphansplace.com/takeaction/.
• Send this tweet to your followers: @childrensplace arrests peaceful protestors, refuses compensation to Rana Plaza victims pic.twitter.com/14INAHXfpx #PAYUP @orphansplace $PLCE