Trade Justice and the building collapse in Bangladesh
Trade Justice activists have called for retailers to take more responsibility for the safety of the people who are making the clothes that they sell.
The building collapse in Bangladesh, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, is a stark example of what can happen when the safety of workers is ignored.
In addition to the responsibility of the authorities in Bangladesh, western retail companies who benefit from cheap labour, also have an obligation to ensure workers are safe.
York campaigner William Gomes
William Gomes is a Trade Justice activist based in York but has lived for most of his life in Bangladesh. Together with Trade Justice activists, he has visited large clothing retailers in Leeds and York to talk about working conditions for garment workers and calling for the tightening up of ethical procurement policies.
William said; “I cried when I heard what had happened to the workers in the Rana Plaza. Many people have died making clothes for western retailers. They paid the price for our fashion.”
Read William’s article which was published in the Huffington Post.
