Agreement reached over Tazreen disaster compensation

Two years after over 120 people lost their lives in the Tazreen Fashions factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, an agreement has been reached between IndustriALL Global Union and their local affiliates, the Clean Clothes Campaign and C&A on a system for delivering compensation to the victims of the tragedy.

The compensation system will be based on the one already developed for the Rana Plaza victims which covers compensation for loss of income, provision of independent medical assessments and ongoing treatment.

In light of the agreement,  other brands linked to the fire are being asked to pledge an immediate and substantial contribution to the compensation fund.

Workers say at the time of the fire they had just completed a shipment to Walmart, who was the main buyer of garments made at Tazreen. “Walmart has yet to take any responsibility for the workers killed and injured,” said Babul Akhter from the IndustriALL affiliate BGIWF (Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation).

Tazreen workers also produced clothing for low cost German retailer Kik, Spanish department store El Corte Ingles, Scottish brand Edinburgh Woollen Mill (UK), Piazza Italia, Disney, Sears, Dickies, Delta Apparel and Sean John. None of these brands have paid a cent towards compensation.

Hong Kong based Li & Fung, the world largest sourcing agent, and the C&A Foundation have made some payments through the Bangladeshi government. El Corte Ingles and Kik have made informal promises to such a commitment and the CCC is now asking for those promises to be turned into concrete and public pledges.

 

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