TUC welcomes Rana Plaza compensation fund finally reaching target $30 million

8 June 2015    

The TUC welcomes the announcement today (Monday) that the Rana Plaza Donors’ Trust Fund has finally met its target of $30 million. The announcement means that full compensation can be paid to the victims of the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, which killed almost 1200 workers. 

It has taken over two years for compensation to be raised which has meant that many workers have gone without vital medical treatment or living essentials. The TUC supports the commitment by G7 leaders in their statement today to establish a ‘Vision Zero’ insurance fund to provide compensation for workers harmed in future industrial accidents. To be effective such a fund will need to involve binding commitments on companies, as well as active support from governments.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The calls that trade unions and campaigners around the world have been making for compensation to be paid to victims of Rana Plaza since 2013 have finally been heard.

“But two years is too long for any worker to wait for medical attention and too long for a family to wait for food, clothing and other essentials. Never has it been clearer that voluntary processes do not work. Governments must make sure there are binding commitments on multinational companies to compensate workers harmed in their global supply chains.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- In April 2013 almost 1200 workers, most of them young women, lost their lives when the Rana Plaza factory building collapsed in Savar district, Bangladesh.

- The Rana Plaza Donors’ Trust Fund is a no-fault fund administered by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Any organisation could contribute to the fund, whether sourcing from Rana Plaza or not. 

- The TUC contributed £16,000 to the Rana Plaza Fund.

- The ILO statement announcing the Fund reaching its target of $30 million can be found here: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_374239/lang--en/index.htm

- The G7 statement committing support to a ‘Vision Zero’ fund can be found at: https://www.g7germany.de/Content/DE/_Anlagen/G8_G20/2015-06-08-g7-abschluss-eng.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=5

- The TUC’s call on G7 leaders to enforce labour rights in global supply chains can be found here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/international-issues/g8g20/multinationals/trade/tuc-calls-g7-enforce-labour-rights-global-supply

Contacts:

Media enquiries:

Clare Santry  T: 020 7467 1372  M: 07717 531150  E: csantry@tuc.org.uk
Alex Rossiter  T: 020 7467 1285  M: 07887 572130  E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk