Establishment of trade unions in Bangladesh will prevent that a further Rana Plaza

A Bangladeshi of mourner and relatives of the victims of the Rana Plaza building collapse. Photo: Munir uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images
It is now just over a year since the collapse of the Rana Plaza-factory complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1,138 people killed and around 2,500 others injured. Led uni work global international trade unions and IndustriALL with trade unions such as the national garment workers Federation (NGWF) of the agreement on fire and building safety in Bangladesh to develop.
Multinational companies such as Inditex (owns the Zara) were put under enormous pressure to sign the agreement. Some 160 companies registered and the agreement now includes 1,500 factories and has completed its first round of tests. This is a serious piece of legislation, which has never before been in the fashion industry. It is a legally binding five-year plan, obliged to announce what factories, companies they use.
Also in the implementation of the agreement, there is still a long way to go before Bangladesh garment industry are fully protected in accordance with international standards and to workers.
Activists agree that the key to the progress of freedom of Association and organising the dress workers. President of the NGWF Amirul Haque Amin is insistent that "without organising will not be changed in terms of ready made garment (RMG)". Christy Hoffman, Deputy Secretary General of which global Union UNI agrees: "there is no such thing as a truly safe factory without informed and committed workers in the factory with an independent voice to force problems and solutions."
The population of Bangladesh is about 164 million, to work, 4 million in the clothing industry. A new report (PDF) of the International Labour Office says: "96 new unions in the RMG sector in the year 2013, 222, with 34 federations that bring the total number of trade unions in the sector have been registered".
This increase of registrations occurred, because an easing in restrictions and shows continue to organize mood among the workers. However, despite a large number of trade unions in the area, too few workers are members, so that they are vulnerable to abuse in the workplace and unsafe conditions. Even a larger Union as the NGWF is large obstacles faced: "to a Union with the labour Department, you need to register one-third of the workforce, register" said Amirul Haque. "It is very difficult because first of all in a workplace of 10,000 people organize 3,000 workers must log on." Setting of workers must be a largely secret process as trade unionists face harassment and violence is raised also remain.
Amirul Haque says that international unions a role in two long-term capacity building and expanding into new regions can play. Hoffman says this as one of the main objectives of the Convention: "the agreement foresees inspections recorded and educated are, both in the security practices and the recovery process of the workers." Health and safety committees will be working factories in accord. Workers hung on the right to refuse unsafe activities, and this right to a robust appeal mechanism."
Hoffman identified one crucial difference between the accord and the rival deal, the Alliance for Bangladesh worker safety, which is led by Walmart and gap: "employees are the heart of every element of a chord - its negotiation, governance, implementation and enforcement. In a departure from the past, and in contrast to the Alliance, the accord is not a "brand only" or also "multi stakeholder"-initiative. The agreement reflects (globally and locally). a binding agreement between trademark and trade unions"
Ian Spaulding, senior advisor of the Alliance explained by e-Mail which will work with local trade unions in Bangladesh and the trade union representatives on the alliances Board of advisors and subcommittees are. Yet the NATO leadership is dominated by earnings from companies such as Wal-Mart and it can not be argued that it made workers.
John Hilary is the Managing Director of want, which supports the agreement was on. Hilary is clear that ensuring the trade unions in the global South to continue, their work is vital and indicates that this is 'Solidarity in action' not charity. "Together with campaigns to challenge, the brands and retailers, that is to control the global supply chains, strength the best hope save local Union long-term improvements for garment workers in Bangladesh."
Worked on want recycling for aid and international development have in addition to textile (morning) capacity building in Bangladesh in the last decade. You have a deal function only for the UIA Charitable Foundation (the nonprofit wing of the Union insurance company UIA insurance) gave to three years funding for leadership training specifically for female garment workers in Bangladesh.
Amazingly had Rana Plaza has been tested twice (by Primark) and both times sure declared. Only unionized garment supports employees themselves through global unions and backed up by legislation, to ensure correct, that Rana Plaza must never happen again.
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