Bangladesh Factory Collapse

[Goodsoulette]

Where exactly are primark, walmart etc exercising due diligence? After the factory fire 6 months ago they were supposedly going to look into the safety of workers in Bangladesh. Primark are apparently shocked, are they really??? they must know why the contracts are so cheap in Bangladesh?

[deggers316]

mikey4444
we know labour is cheap over there and jobs very hard to come by but if say all theses stores stopped having clothes made there and that includes TOP names too they would not be earning what pittance they do. better a small pittance than no pittance

[Goodsoulette]

So its ok to exploit them then?

[deggers316]

Goodsoulette
they have no say in what the building is like
the unsafe build was brought to attention but the authorities did nothing about it it was up to them to evacuate the building and shut it down,unfortunately nobody gives a sh*t over there about life and it comes cheap

[deggers316]

Goodsoulette
suggest you fly to Pakistan and stand outside "these sweat shops" with your protest placard,and good luck with that one

[Zacs-Master]

Can we stop having a go at capitalism and knocking successful companies who are some of the only ones keeping this country going. The report says:

'Police said the owners of factories in the building had ignored warnings about cracks appearing on Tuesday.' How does this leave Primark et al responsible?

It also says
'Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said those thought to be responsible for the disaster, including the owner - who allegedly told workers to enter the building despite the cracks and has since fled - would be prosecuted'

[Goodsoulette]

They have a say in where they send their contracts to though Deggers. They could pay a bit more elsewhere, they moved out of china due to labour rights and moved somewhere poorer. They could even oversee a safe build themselves. It's morally objectional for people in power to be this exploitative. These companies don't have their hands completely tied, they are not forced to use the equivalent of a victorian work house.

[gness]

God...I hate that argument....would you work under conditions like that, Deggers?
All these companies have the clout to ensure the people working for them are safe and fairly paid.....except that it would mean less profit if they did. They pay lip service to the Ethical Trading Initiative and we buy their cheap and sometimes not so cheap clothes.....time we took a stand if only by asking ourselves just what we are buying.....and thinking again.
I don't want to be wearing clothes made by a child or an adult who is told..Yes it is a pittance but tough...it's better than nothing.

[Goodsoulette]

Deggers, you do know that Pakistan and Bangladesh are two different countries??

[deggers316]

i agree gness but it will never happen, however read zacs text thats what the issue is about

[deggers316]

i am aware yes but refer to this Muslim race here as Pakistanis,

[Zacs-Master]

Let's all stop using electricity from coal fired power stations then. I'm pretty sure mining conditions in Russia & Colombia aren't fantastic.

[Zeuhl]

/All these companies have the clout to ensure the people working for them are safe and fairly paid/

They are safe and fairly paid

By local standards

Are you suggesting that certain employers in Bangladesh pay UK rates?
If not what rate are you proposing?

Bearing in mind that anything significantly different to the Dacca rate will destabilise the local employment market

[hc4361]

Deggers. This tragedy happened in Bangladesh, not Pakistan. It's like referring to the UK as France or Italy.

Why do you refer to all Muslims are Pakistanis? That is just ignorant.

[Zeuhl]

Deggers

Your Dacca authorities are Pakistani in the same way that the Dublin authorities are English

[deggers316]

prob the same as i refer to Germans Dutch French tec as all europeans but i get ya point

[jomifl]

Mikey. we have a 'champagne socialist' friend who buys large quantities of clothes for her grand children in Primark. When Mrs. jomifl pointed out to her that some of the clothes are are made by children who are the same age as her grandchildren she just didn't want to know.

[tamborine]

theyre quite high tech here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=Kaen0_VY25E

[Goodsoulette]

There is no way on earth that the government in Bangladesh and western retailers aren't going to face some big questions and a lot of criticism. So lets say health and safety goes under a dramatic overhaul there. Construction of factories is overseen better. Costs of manufacturing go up..... should primark, gap and walmart and whomever else stay in Bangladesh?

[Zeuhl]

Germans, Dutch, French etc ARE all Europeans

But Pakistan and Bangladesh are distinct sovereign nations

especially insensitive when you consider that thousands of Bangladeshis died to win their independence