Consumers Demand Walmart Fight Possible Execution of Labor Activists

by Amanda Kloer · 2011-05-23 07:10:00 UTC
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In Bangladesh, suppliers for Walmart and other multinational companies have filed false criminal charges against three labor rights activists, which could mean life in prison or even the death penalty. In response, a movement of tens of thousands of consumers around the world has sprung up demanding Walmart intervene, instruct their suppliers to drop the false charges, and ask the government to restore the nonprofit status of the activists' organization.

Kalpona Akter, Babul Akhter, and Aminul Islam, all from the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), were arrested on trumped-up charges, imprisoned, and tortured for their efforts to improve wages and working conditions in the Bangladeshi garment industry. Now, they await the start of a trial that could result in life in prison or even the death penalty. But if the Walmart suppliers who have filed the charges drop them, it's likely the activists will be able to return freely to their work of advocating for basic workers' rights.

That's why the International Labor Rights Forum started a petition on Change.org, which asks Walmart to intervene by instructing their suppliers to drop the charges. Walmart is the largest buyer of Bangladeshi-made garments, and thus has tremendous power to influence their suppliers' actions. Over 80,000 consumers have joined this growing movement to demand Walmart's intervention, but so far the company has not responded.

Here's how you can help prevent three courageous activists from facing imprisonment or execution for speaking out against injustice:

1.) Leave a message on Walmart's Facebook Wall, like "Walmart, please ask your Bangladeshi suppliers to drop all falsified criminal charges against labor rights leaders."

2.) Tweet at Walmart, for example, "Plz RT @Walmart: Don’t do business w/ Bangladeshi suppliers til they drop false charges on labor leaders! http://chn.ge/iHQdBI #walmart"

3.) Share this petition with your friends via email, Facebook, or other social media.

It's time Walmart took the simple step of ensuring their suppliers to drop these false charges. And you as a consumer have the power to push them to action.

Photo credit: matteson.norman

Amanda Kloer is a Change.org Editor and has been a full-time abolitionist in several capacities for seven years. Follow her on Twitter @endhumantraffic

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