“It was my fault. But nobody told me that there was no emergency exit, which could be made accessible from outside. Nobody even advised me to install one like that, apart from the existing ones. I could have done it, but nobody ever suggested that I do it.”-Delowar Hossain, factory owner
Days after a fire killed more than 120 people (reports now say there will be more bodies found, as the initial body count was a guess) and injured 200, the factory owner accepts blame, and three of his supervisors are now charged with locking the workers in the building because they thought the fire alarm was fake (they actually believed the workers were trying to escape their wretched working conditions), another ‘illegal’ fashion factory goes up in flames (this time no one was locked in, but there were injuries), and the disaster reveals that unAmerican Corporate America is involved more than ever in slave wage factories (to get those high profits to make their investors happy, it’s not about keeping prices cheap for the lowly consumer).
The police and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh said they believe the fire was “an act of sabotage”. A disgruntled employee perhaps?
Other reports say the factory was operating illegally anyway. Both Walmart and Disney issued statements saying they canceled contracts with the factory at least 12 months ago, on the grounds the factory was dangerous. Yet clothing with their brands on them were being made right up ’till the fire broke out.
Here’s some other companies/brands that were having clothing made at the illegal factory: ENYCE, Teddy Smith and Edinburgh Woollen Mill. But another company was found listed in the factory account books: Sears. If companies like Walmart and Disney swear they canceled their contracts a year ago, then who were those shirts, sweaters and hoodies (with Walmart’s Faded Glory label, and the Disney label) being made for?
I hear Sears is in big trouble money wise and has been struggling to get its profits up. Just sayin’. But of course Sears Holdings denies they’re involved, and yet at the same time plans to rectify the fire safety issue: “We can also confirm that Sears Holdings does not source from this factory….In addition, Sears recognizes that fire safety is a critical international issue that we intend to address through specialized training for management in those factories that produce merchandise for Sears Holdings.”-Sears Holdings statement
If they’re not involved then why is Sears in the fashion factory’s client account books and why did Sears say they will address fire safety at such factories?
According to the Associated Press, since 2006 at least 313 people have died in fashion factories in Bangladesh.
According to industry watchdog groups, labor rights groups and even the World Bank, the average pay for a fashion factory worker in Bangladesh is the equivalent to $38 USD per day! And that’s double what they were being paid last year, they had to go on violent strikes to get the $38 per day!!!
Another report said they get paid the equivalent of 50 cents per hour in the United States!!!
And don’t think the fashion industry in Bangladesh can’t afford to pay more, last year they made $20 billion USD, making up 80% of Bangladesh’s Gross Domestic Product!!!
Companies that help retailers like Walmart hook up with fashion suppliers, blamed the U.S. consumer: “You have relentless pressure that consumers put on retailers and that retailers put on their suppliers to deliver lower and lower prices. And that pressure is a key reason why you see factories cutting corners.”-Josh Green, Panjiva
The only reason the average U.S. consumer “demands” lower prices is because their pay and benefits continue to go down year after year. Blame unAmerican Corporate America!
