Remembering the dead and fighting for the living

Today is Workers' Memorial Day – a day dedicated to ‘remembering the dead and fighting for the living’ and is commemorated across the world. In time-honoured tradition, a series of memorial events are taking place across the region to remember all those killed through work but with a clear view to ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.

A tried, tested and most importantly, proven method to prevent such tragedies is by building trade union organisation and campaigning for stricter enforcement of health and safety laws, coupled with higher penalties for breaches of them.

This year’s theme is 'Protecting workers around the world through strong regulation, enforcement and union rights'. The day provides the perfect opportunity to highlight the need for strong regulation at national, European and global level. We need to stop companies in the UK from benefitting from the lack of health and safety standards that lead to disasters such as the Bangladesh factory collapse.  We also need a strong strategy on health and safety from the European Commission which will raise standards throughout Europe; while in the UK we need the cuts in enforcement and regulation to be replaced instead with action to tackle the huge number of occupational diseases and injuries.

A year after the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh which killed over 1,100 people and injured around 2,000 more, major fashion brands have stumped up less than half the sum needed to compensate victims and their families. So far, companies keen to improve their public reputation have donated about £10 million, but that leaves a substantial £14.9m gap.

The needs of the workers who survived this catastrophe and the families of those who did not, are desperate. This last year the victims have endured a triple whammy of medical expenses, lack of income and having to relive the horrors of that day. The brands can be part of the solution – but only if they pay up.

Over 150 companies have signed up to the union-led Fire and Building Safety Accord which is now beginning to force change in health and safety conditions through a quality inspection system, publication of the inspection reports and legally binding commitments from the corporations. Another core demand - for workers to be allowed an independent trade union voice - also appears to be being realised.

 However, there is still the very real fear that problems with Bangladeshi labour law mean that workers are still facing significant repression. The UK government must lobby the Bangladeshi government to allow freedom of association so workers can join unions, take collective action and voice concerns about health and safety without fear of reprisals.

The appalling loss of life in the Rana Plaza disaster proved that Bangladesh had a long way to go to tackle the textile industry’s terrible record on health and safety and workers’ rights. Every company using suppliers from Bangladesh should donate an appropriate sum to the fund so that the workers and their families can finally start to rebuild their lives.

Beth Farhat

TUC Regional Secretary Northern Region