Last week saw the second anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh, which housed five garment factories.
The tragedy left 1,134 workers dead and injured more than 2,500.
While commemorations in Bangladesh were being held, UNISON supported a day of action in London.
On Oxford Street, we stepped up our call for the high street chains to take responsibility for the clothing supply chain, and to insist that health and safety become a priority.
Several large corporations – including Asda and Benetton – are still refusing to pay what they owe in compensation to the injured workers, and to the families of those who so needlessly lost their lives when their workplace crumbled.
Since the tragedy – one of the deadliest building collapses in history – UNISON has worked alongside the campaign group Labour Behind the Label to fight for workers’ rights in the garment industry.
Find out more about the campaign at labourbehindthelabel.org.
Our union has helped fund a project with two garment workers’ unions in Bangladesh, providing health and safety training and encouraging workers to speak out about workplace conditions.
This in turn has helped these unions to organise and recruit new members.
As a result of this successful project, a new scheme has been launched to provide long-term funding for a union office in at town that is home to many of the country’s garment factories.
But more work needs to be done if we are to bring about an end to dangerous factories, and secure compensation for all those who suffered as a result of the Rana Plaza disaster.
Action like we saw last week in London, and in other cities around the world, must continue until all companies that profit from fashion and sportswear that is sold on the high street, yet made for a fraction of the cost in factories overseas, acknowledge their responsibility to make sure this industry is safe for all workers.
If they don’t, it’s only a matter of time until another avoidable disaster claims the lives of many more innocent workers.