The deadliest garment factory disaster in history took place this year in Rana Plaza Bangladesh when over 1100 people were killed and 2500 injured when the building collapsed in April 24, 2013.
This was a man-made disaster, not an accident, caused by bosses who cared little for their workers and ignored cracks in the building and threated to dock workers a month pay if they did not come into work. It was caused by a government who favoured business and growth over worker’s rights and safety. It was caused by western buyers who cared little about the conditions in which their products are made in and cared too much about securing lowest prices and invested a fraction of what they spend on marketing on factory inspections and managing their supply chain. It was caused by western marketers who create the desire for people to buy clothes they don’t need and sometimes don’t even wear, who create a climate where children feel poor if they can’t wear branded clothing or the latest values. And finally, this devastation was caused by people like me, the western consumer, whose standard of living is measured by the things we own; it was caused by people who turn a blind eye to the true costs of these cheap products on the environment and the people who make them.
If we want to stop a disaster like Rana Plaza happening again (as I type, Reuters has news of a fire killing 9 people in a factory in Bangladesh), we must use our power as consumers to influence fashion companies to take greater control of their supply chains and responsibility for their worker’s rights.
In the UK, 1 in 4 people would pay more for products that are fairer and greener. A Nielsen study in June found that the percentage of those willing to spend money on ethical goods has risen from 22% in spring 2011 to 46%, thanks to widespread knowledge of factories’ practices and recent food scandals. Thankfully, this awareness is also growing in Asian countries such as Thailand, India, Philippines and Indonesia. When this number reaches 3 out of 4 people and is reflected in their buying behaviour, all the individuals listed above who played a role in the disaster will be forced to act. Don’t doubt that companies who invest millions in understanding their customers will fail to act if their customers boycott sweatshop made goods.
Free market disciples and right wing politicians will argue against this approach, claiming worker’s rights are the products of a country’s rising wealth and that by buying more products from poor countries, we will make poor people richer. They will also argue that imposing labour and safety standards will make these countries uncompetitive. However, this unfairly ignores the fact that workers’ rights have always had to be fought for. The workers in Bangladesh are fighting for better conditions, for safe places to work and for compensation for the victims of these disasters whenever they tragically occur.
Change begins with you. Support your fellow workers around the world by only buying Fair Trade Clothing and boycott products made in sweatshops. Refuse to contribute to their death and start acting now!
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