Bangladesh: Campaigners welcome new agreement on safety of garment workers at factories

Campaigners have welcomed the new agreement designed to protect the garment workers in Bangladesh which is signed by the likes of H&M and Inditex, which owns Zara and Bershka. As per a report in The Guardian, the latest accord has replaced another separate agreement which is signed by over 200 global fashion companies after the Rana Plaza factory fire in 2013 which claimed the lives of over 1,100 people. Now, with the agreement, these companies would face legal action if the health and safety standards for the garment workers were found to have shortcomings or if they did not handle the problems in a given time period.

Since 2013, more than 38,000 inspections have been reportedly carried out leading at least 200 factories to lose their contracts due to poor safety standards. That agreement is set to expire by the end of this month and the negotiations for the new pact to handle the issue were protracted. Meanwhile, the Union leaders were concerned that the legally binding elements were being threatened and that the progress made after 2013 would be undermined along with the campaigns launched to improve the safety standards in the garment factories. 

New agreement managed by RSC

The new agreement, as per the report is managed by Ready-Made Garments Sustainability Council (RSC). It is valid until October 2023 and the companies agreeing to sign it pledge to expand the general health and safety for workers beyond fire and building safety. The report stated that the accord would ask the firms to enhance the human rights due diligence along supply chains and making the same commitment to garment workers in at least one other nation.

Reportedly, the signatories have agreed to meet in six months’ time to discuss the countries in consideration, with the aim of implementing the changes within a time period of two years. The deal has been lauded by campaigners and union leaders. Ayesha Barenblat, the chief executive of the ethical fashion advocacy group Remake, told the Business of Fashion: “This, I think, is truly a model of building back better.” Meanwhile, Valter Sanches, the general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, said: “This international accord is an important victory towards making the textile and garment industry safe and sustainable.”

IMAGE: AP