14 May 2013

Inditex and H&M head up retailers’ pact for Bangladesh factories

Inditex and H&M head up retailers’ pact for Bangladesh factories


The world's two largest fashion retailers, Sweden's H&M and Spain's Inditex, have announced a pact to improve labor conditions in their factories to prevent a repeat of the building collapse in Bangladesh that claimed the lives of 1,127 people.

Among the proposals are a coordinated system of inspections, the results of which will be made public; greater rights for workers; and a financial commitment from retailers to improve conditions in factories in Bangladesh, the world's biggest exporter of clothes. "We hope for a broad coalition of signatures in order for the agreement to work effectively on the ground," H&M said in a statement.

Inditex founder Amancio Ortega has also pledged to support the pact, the final draft of which will be published on Wednesday. "The accord has not come out yet, but as you know we have played a very active part in its development," said a spokesman for the company, which includes the Zara chain. Six percent of Inditex's clothing was exported from Bangladesh last year, where factory workers earn the lowest minimum wage anywhere on the planet at 29 euros a month.

The Bangladesh government on Monday elected to close around 100 businesses in an attempt to calm street protests in Dhaka after the Rana Plaza factory disaster. The latest tragedy is the worst industrial accident since the 1984 gas leak at the Union Carbide India Limited plant in Bhopal, which killed thousands of people. Last November in Bangladesh a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory in Dhaka cost the lives of 117 workers.


VOCABULARY
retailers: minoristas
financial commitment: compromiso financiero
pledge: prometer, dar la palabra
draft: borrador
in an attempt:en un intento
gas leak: fuga de gas

17 comments:

  1. It's a shame that it had to happen a disaster like that, to make Sweden's H$M ans Spain's Inditex see that the had to improve labour contidions in their factories. After all it's a positive fact, and all the big factories should be aware of this.

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  2. I think that it is a positive thing too, but in my opinion they should have seen it before. No one deserves these kind of labour conditions, and the factories like them should feel shameful about it. I competely agree with Aitana.

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  3. I think that all of us know in which conditions are the factories. I believe that to change these conditions it isn't necessary to happen a disaster, it's a shame... But, within that may be is good that they change it.

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  4. In my opinion this announcement of a pact to improve labor conditions in their factories it's very important because it means thay have realized that the workers can't be under these conditions. But it's a shame that they have taken so long to do that.

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  5. I think that this pact to improve the labor conditions it's a good thing for workers, because a lot of workers of this kind of factories have very bad conditions to work. But I find shameful that this factories have to see a disaster, such as Bangladesh, to realized of the bad conditions that their workers have.

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  6. We are at the same situation as always: we wait something to happen to make changes in what we know it's wrong. If nothing had happened in Bangladesh, nobody would have tried to improve labour conditions and factories would have continued at the same way. In addition, we know what happens in thousands of factories around the world and what are their labour conditions, and nobody tries to do something. But, the problem is that most of these workers are working for famous factories in which we buy clothes and we spend money, as Zara, Nike, etc. In my opinion, if nobody bought in these factories, we would change this situation. It's up to us and I'm absolutely sure.

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  7. In my opinion, I don't think it's a bad idea taking part of your business to another country where workers can work for lower salaries but what I'm against is all the bad conditions in which theese workers have to deal with, as they are uninsured or anything that protects them if something happens. Big companies should think about their workers lives apart from the money.

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  8. In my opinion, I don't think it's a bad idea taking part of your business to another country where workers can work for lower salaries but what I'm against is all the bad conditions in which theese workers have to deal with, as they are uninsured or anything that protects them if something happens. Big companies should think about their workers lives apart from the money.

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  9. I think that it is always the same. We wait that something serious happens to make changes; this is Bangladesh case. I’m sure if nothing had happened, factories would remain in the same conditions, and nodbody had worried to change workers condition.
    Factories as Inditex, Nike…should think about their workers and improve their labor conditions because in the world there are a lot of workers who are in these bad conditions.

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  10. Well, it's not strange that two of the most important firms in Europe have taken part of a movement promoting the accomplishment of the labour conditions. After the incidents occurred a few days ago, the image of these companies has been completely damaged. Now, they have to start a campaign in order to make people think that they have actually changed their policies. All in all, it's just a comercial strategy, I don't really think that they do it to implement better working conditions.

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  11. I understand companies send their workers to other countries with lower salaries, but it's a bad thing to know the conditions are so bad.Perhabs I'm pessimistic but this is a issue that isn't gonna to change because every businessman wants the best for his bussines.

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  12. I'm agree with this pact, but it's necessary since long, and they have been waiting for something bad happen to take action to improve the bad conditions in some people are working; and they should have a penalty for the disaster of Bengladesh.

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  14. In one part of our planet children are treated as “princes and princesses” and in this other part adult use them as tools work for their benefit. The children work very hard in a dark room or warehouse, without receiving any salary and working more than 8 hours for day in very bad conditions. These children have no possibility of education, no option to have a better future and adults don’t respect the children laws. It is totally forbidden for a child under than 16 working in any place.

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  15. I agree with the consecution of this pact, which will improve the working conditions on big factories like H&M or Zara not only at developed countries, but such to that underdeveloped countries like Bangladesh, which are fabricating the same clothes like at other countries, but with an horrible salary and with poor conditions, and the worst thing is that all rich countries that doesn't realise or they don't want to realise what such a bad conditions that this poor countries have.
    They only can be solved thank to those types of disaster, and this is a pity, because they transmit a feeling of rejection to that underveloped factories, and this is a big irresponsibility.

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  16. It's incredible. They only can see the problems when is to late. If they, since the start of the factories building, had made the constructions on well, the fabrics not to have been improve now and this disaster would not ocurre. All have a solution, but is better do well the things since the begining.

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  17. This announcement is a vert good new but as always, it's too late, it always have to happen a disaster to make people and companies see that the labour conditions was so bad and this is a shame, but at least they are improving at the moment and all the companies should be aware of this.

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