NGWF calls for fair wages in Bangladesh's garment industry The National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) launched a campaign for higher wages in the Bangladeshi apparel industry on October 14, 2016. Under the title ‘Living wage...fair price of garment products’, the union calls for a fair wage for the approximately 4.2 million workers in the garment industry (of which approximately 3.2 million are women). A demonstration by the capital Dhaka with the participation of various national and local trade unions and other civil society organisations drew attention to the concerns of the workers. NGWF demo 14.10.2016 in front of the press club in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo: © NGWF Read more …
Arbitrary arrests of trade unionists during a strike in Bangladesh The Clean Clothes Campaign is concerned about the safety of trade unionists and workers in Bangladesh. Some of them had apparently been arbitrarily arrested, while thousands of workers in Ashulia, an area in Dhaka, had participated in a strike for higher wages. The strike began on the 12th. December 2016 in the Windy Apparels factory, which was only recently mentioned in the news in connection with the death of an employee in October. The factory produces clothing for several brand companies, including H&M, Inditex (which owns the Zara brand), Esprit, Tesco, Arcadia, s.Oliver and Debenhams. Within a very short time, surrounding factories also took part in the strike. On the 20th In December 2016, 59 factories were closed. Read more …
Positive developments in Bangladesh - but the crisis in Bangladesh's textile sector has not yet been overcome! Textile factory in Bangladesh Photo: © Gisela Burckhardt, FEMNET After months of international protests by trade unions and non-governmental organisations worldwide, an agreement was reached between trade unions, the Ministry of Labour and employers in Bangladesh to release all imprisoned trade unionists. The Clean Clothes Campaign welcomes this agreement as a positive first step, but warns that it has not yet weathered the crisis in Bangladesh's textile sector. The agreement between IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), the Ministry of Labour and the employers' association BGMEA came about on 23 February 2017 after some international apparel companies cancelled their participation in a conference of the apparel industry (Dhaka Apparel Summit). Read more …
Immediate solidarity with workers in Bangladesh is needed! Donate to the sewers! Support our Solidarity Fund! Workers after a meeting in the office of the FEMNET partner organisation BCWS. Photo: S. Marx ⁇ FEMNET Bonn. Workers protesting for the lawful implementation of wage increases are currently being fired, detained and harassed. The Bangladeshi trade union NGWF informs FEMNET: Hundreds of workers were arrested. The 4,000 workers were indicted. More than 30 workers have been sued in court. About 7,000 workers were laid off. On 1 February 2019, the NGWF union protested and called for the arrested workers to be immediately released, false accusations to be withdrawn and dismissed workers to be reinstated. Read more …
Never again Rana Plaza, more building security Mother who lost her daughter in the collapse of the Rana Plaza building. Photo: © FEMNETBonn. Exactly six years ago, 1,134 seamstresses died in the rubble of a factory building in Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. More than 1,800 people were injured. In the ‘Rana Plaza’ building, five textile factories were producing, many for large fashion companies, whose products are also hanging in our wardrobes. After the disaster, the entire fashion industry declared ‘Never again Rana Plaza!’. But what is the situation today? Six years after the terrible catastrophe, repression and poverty wages dominate Bangladesh's garment industry. Progress in making factories safe is under threat. Read more …
Workers at a NGWF trade union demonstration in Bangladesh 10 years after Rana Plaza: What has happened? Ten years ago, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Building safety in factories has been improved by international agreements, such as the Accord. But what has happened in terms of working conditions? In February we were in Bangladesh and spoke with our partner organization NGWF. Read more …
© Shahidul Islam Killing of a trade unionist during minimum wage negotiations in Bangladesh After five years, the minimum wage in Bangladesh will be renegotiated. Trade unions are calling for an increase in wages to 23,000 Taka in order to secure the basic supply of workers. In recent months, trade union intimidation by factory owners has become more common. Following the murder of trade unionist Shahidul Islam, FEMNET is reaching further worrying news indicating a growing risk for workers and trade unionists. Read more …
Dismissed workers on a blacklist Displaced workers are demanding their jobs back. Photo: @ FEMNET Shocking figures are reported by our partner organisations from Bangladesh: More than 3,000 workers are being charged, and more than 11,000 workers from 105 factories have been laid off since January 2019. Their names are on a blacklist, nowhere can they find a job. Their crime: They protested against the far too small increase in the monthly minimum wage to 8000 Taka (83,- EUR). The unions had demanded double that (166 euros), after all, the minimum wage has not been adjusted for 5 years. For the majority of workers, the basic wage hardly increases as a result of the revision. Hardly any family can live on the new minimum wage. Further background can be found in our Report of 16 January 2019. Read more …
ACCORD: Supreme Court postpones its decision again Since November 2018, the decision of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has been repeatedly postponed at monthly intervals. So also on 15 April 2019. Supposedly, it is now to be decided on May 19 whether the Accord, the building and fire protection agreement that has provided for around 1600 safe export factories, can remain in the country. The government wants to get rid of the independent inspectors and claims to be able to carry out the factory inspections itself. However, this is questioned by both international buyers and the Clean Clothes Campaign. Read more …
© Md. Shahinur Rahman Flood disaster in Bangladesh: How climate change threatens the textile industry Since 20 August 2024, heavy rainfall has led to severe flooding in 11 districts of Bangladesh. According to the Ministry of Civil Protection, about 5.7 million people are affected, around 470,000 seek refuge in emergency shelters, and 23 people have been killed so far. Read more …
Accord continues to work, but employer lobby decides in the future After Months of wrestling and several times Postponement of the decision The Supreme Court finally reached an agreement on the Accord in Bangladesh on 19 May 2019: The agreement on building safety and fire protection guarantees continued work for 281 days. In addition, the agreement includes the establishment of a national safety committee, which will take over the activities of the Accord, as well as all its infrastructure and staff after that deadline. It is an agreement between the Accord Steering Committee and the BGMEA (Employers' Association of the Bangladeshi Clothing Industry) and is endorsed by the Bangladeshi government. Read more …
How we remind companies of their due diligence obligations On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed. More than 1,100 people died and more than 2,500 were injured. For the first time, the world looked at the devastating conditions in the global fashion industry, but only for a moment. The grievances persist. How we make them visible and encourage companies to act. Read more …
