The High Price of Cheap Clothes - Loss of Life

U.S. Retailers are responsible for opposing workplace standards....those cheap clothes cost dearly.


Mass Protests Erupt In Bangladesh Over Factory Collapse
By Patrick O’Connor

http://www.countercurrents.org/oconnor260413.htm

Mass protests have erupted in Bangladesh over the collapse of a textile factory near the capital, Dhaka—the latest in a series of devastating industrial disasters in the impoverished country. Many of the demonstrating workers carried black flags and blockaded highways in at least three industrial suburbs. A local police inspector told Associated Press that workers attacked several factories whose management had refused to suspend production


Over 200 Killed in Bangladesh Factory Collapse After Workers Forced to Ignore Building’s Dangers

Guests

Charles Kernaghan, director of the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights.

Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity. She started work in garment factories when she was 12. She is currently in the United States to call on retailers like Wal-Mart, The Gap and Disney to take the lead on improving working conditions in Bangladesh.

The death toll in Bangladesh has topped 200 after an eight-story garment factory building collapsed with thousands of workers inside. More than 1,000 people were injured, and an unknown number of workers are still trapped in the wreckage. Cracks had been found in the building, but workers say the factory owners forced them to go to work anyway. Protests broke out in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka today as angry workers blocked key highways, marched on several factories, and rallied outside the headquarters of Bangladesh’s main manufacturers group. The disaster comes exactly five months after a massive fire killed at least 112 garment workers at Bangladesh’s Tazreen factory, which made clothing sold by Wal-Mart, among other companies. We’re joined by two guests: Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, and Charlie Kernaghan, director of the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights.

http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/25/over_200_killed_in_bangladesh_factory


Survivor of Bangladesh’s Tazreen Factory Fire Urges U.S. Retailers to Stop Blocking Worker Safety






This week’s Bangladeshi factory disaster comes five months after a massive fire killed at least 112 garment workers at Bangladesh’s Tazreen factory, which made clothing sold by Wal-Mart, among other companies. Earlier this month, Wal-Mart refused to compensate victims and their families, even though it was apparently the factory’s largest buyer. We’re joined by Sumi Abedin, a worker who survived the Tazreen fire by jumping from the factory’s third story, breaking both her arm and foot in the process. She is currently touring the United States to call on retailers like Wal-Mart, The Gap and Disney to take the lead on improving working conditions in Bangladesh. We also speak with Kalpona Akter of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity and Charlie Kernaghan of the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights.


http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/25/survivor_of_bangladeshs_tazreen_factory_fire


Huge Death Toll In Bangladesh Factory Collapse
By Sarath Kumara and Wimal Perera

http://www.countercurrents.org/perera250413.htm

In one of the worst industrial disasters in Bangladesh’s history, at least 175 workers were confirmed dead as of Thursday morning, and about 1,000 injured, after the collapse of an eight-storey building that housed garment factories in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka. As many as 1,600 more were thought to be trapped in the rubble


Tomb Of Indifference To Worker's Life
By Farooque Chowdhury

http://www.countercurrents.org/fc250413.htm

The Savar worker-deaths shall live as capital’s tomb of indifference to worker-life and shall remind workers of all generations the cruel character of capital. It shall remind workers the state of workers’ life in a society. It’s not a happy situation for capital as capital can’t escape wrath of labor


Bangladesh Tragedy: Crushed Lives, Crashed Dreams
By Omar Rashid Chowdhury

http://www.countercurrents.org/chowdhury250413.htm

But haven’t we mourned enough? Haven’t we asked enough for explanations? Haven’t we cried enough for justice? Yet, why do those remain unanswered? Who will answer for the crushing of thousands of dreams? And, who will stand trial for the killing of hundreds of lives? Lives of workers are the least costly of all commodities. The Savar crash incident stands gruesomely true to that fact. They were herded like sheep to work and they were slaughtered like sheep