Already 31 chains promise “clean clothes” from Bangladesh

31 chains sign enforceable charter

Trade union IndustriALL Global
Union had made the fashion industry an ultimatum: clothing retailers got until midnight
on Wednesday to agree with their charter to improve security in Bengal
factories.

31 chains had signed the
enforceable “Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh” before that
deadline, agreeing on independent inspections of factories, access for
unions and the formation of safety committees. The charter also guarantees the
right of employees to refuse work in certain circumstances. The brands have
also declared to be prepared to pay for renovations on factories of subcontractors.

The signing of the two largest clothing groups
in the world earlier this week have certainly sped up the process. Since then a
number of chains have joined: PVH (Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein), Tesco,
Marks & Spencer, Primark, El Corte Inglés, Mango, Carrefour, Aldi,
Benetton, WE Group, Esprit, Lidl, Abercrombie & Fitch and more.

American brands lag behind

“It is historic that so many brands have signed
a legally binding agreement that puts workers first”, says Ben Vanpeperstraete
of Clean Clothes Campaign. “This accord promises fundamental changes in the Bengal
clothing industry. It is a shame however that the American brands are not
following the European ones”, by which he refers to among other Gap and
Walmart.

“We at Clean Clothes Campaign have first
approached the big chains that at least worked at a European level. Because the
accord needs a big scale, it was important they signed first, before we went to
the big players”, Vanpeperstraete continues.

Still work to do

The enthusiasm about the agreement was
overshadowed by the fact that terms agreed upon are not always followed. For
example, the victims of the factory fire in Tazreen (November 2012) are still
waiting for the compensation that was promised.

The negotiations with Primark about
compensation for the Rana Plaza disaster are also at a dead end: “I’m
disappointed and also angry,” said Amirul Haque Amin, head of the National
Garment Workers’ Federation. “It has been two weeks and I expected after the
meeting to hear from them within three or four days.”

The problem is not only situated in Bangladesh,
say the NGOs. In countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Cambodia and Burma people
are also still working in dire conditions.

That once again became painfully clear, when Wednesday
the roof of a shoe factory collapsed in Cambodia. Three people were killed and
at least six injured. According to the first information the factory was making
shoes for Japanese producer ASICS. In Cambodia the textile and shoe factories
are the biggest employers, worth 65,000 jobs. Last year the sector brought in
3.7 billion dollar.