H & M Responds to Unsafe Bangladeshi Garment Industry

Half of the mall near me burned down when I was 12. JC Penny got the worst of it, gutted and flooded. But the fire sale afterward was legendary, if you didn't mind a little water damage or the unremovable smell of smoke. But when a clothing factory goes up in flames, there are no fire sales. Instead, there are injuries and deaths. And when those factories are sweatshops or use slave labor, the workers inside may have no way to escape the flames because they are locked in, chained to their work stations, or simply not given viable exits.

At the end of February in Bangladesh, home of one of the world's biggest garment manufacturing industry, 21 workers died in a fire in Garib & Garib Newaj factory, where clothing is made for several firms including H&M. Fifty more were injured by the fire, which has been blamed on faulty wiring. This was the factory's second fire in six months. Shortly after, in Bangladesh's Gazipur district, a tube-light burst, causing workers to panic and stampede through ill-conceived exits for fear of a fire breaking out. One woman was killed and 25 were injured. But instead of blind eyes and corporate cold shoulders, change is afoot in Bangladesh, partly thanks to the ILRF and people like you and me.

The International Labor Rights Forum advocates for the humane treatment of workers all over the world. Their Sweatfree World campaign challenges global sweatshop conditions, promotes viable alternatives to slave-produced goods, and seek change in the global trade rules while enforcing existing labor laws worldwide. When the Garib fire happened, they stepped in and started a letter-writing campaign to H&M, Bangladesh's Labor Ministry, and the other manufacturers who got product from the factory. It took me all of five seconds to participate and results were seen within days.

H&M sent me an e-mail a day after I sent my letter to them through ILRF, outlining their plans to investigate their factory conditions and work with Bangladeshi authorities. On March 26th they announced that they're dedicating SEK 1 million for preventive fire and safety measures at garment factories in Bangladesh and are continuing investigations.

ILRF, the Clean Clothes Campaign, and Bangladeshi trade unions are continuing to monitor both the government's and H&M's response to the fires and to encourage corporate responsibility while supporting the Garib workers' compensation claims for their injuries and lost loved ones. Most notably, there is an ongoing campaign for H&M and others to improve their initial safety audits of their manufacturing partners and refuse to work with factories that do not meet them.

What encourages me in all of this is that it seems the world is listening. When folks like you and I combine our voices and advocate for labor rights, big business is starting to realize that our annoying buzzing in its ear isn't going to go away. It's going to get louder. It can't ignore people burning to death in its factories simply because they are a world away. We won't let it.

If you'd like to add your voice to the buzz, go here and send a letter to the corporations and governments involved. You can also sign the petition here to say "Thank You" to H&M directly for their response and encourage them to continue their efforts to ensure their supply chain is safe and slave-free. Because buzz doesn't always have to accompany a shame-on-you finger shake; it just has to be loud enough to turn the heads that change the industry.

Photo credit: BruceTurner