Bangladesh garment factories failing to pay new 39¢ minimum wage

[boiler]

Bangladesh garment factories failing to pay new 39¢ minimum wage

Nearly 40 percent of garment factories in the Bangladesh capital were failing to pay a new minimum wage announced last year for workers stitching clothes for Western retailers, an industry head said Thursday.

Bangladesh’s government agreed last November to raise the minimum monthly wage for the country’s four million garment workers to $68 [or 39 cents an hour], an increase of 77 percent, after protests and strikes in the crisis-hit industry.

But almost 40 percent of factories surveyed in and around Dhaka were still not paying the new amount, while the figures were much higher for the port city of Chittagong, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said.

The association surveyed the $20 billion industry, the world’s second largest and a mainstay of the Bangladesh economy, to determine which of the 4,500 factories were paying the new legally required wage.

“We have done a survey on 594 factories situated in Dhaka and its outskirts. Of them 62 percent paid their workers under the newly hiked wages,” association vice-president Shahidillah Azim said.

“In Chittagong only five percent factories could (afford to) pay the new minimum wage,” Azim told AFP without giving further details of the survey, which has not been made public.

He blamed deadly unrest in the run-up to the January 5 general election — which saw opposition-led protests and transport blockades — for a drop in export orders that forced factories to postpone implementing the wage.

“It’s a very bad situation. Western retailers have cancelled or diverted orders. As a result, new recruitment in the factories has almost stopped. Workers also understand the situation,” he said.

However government figures show a boom time for the world’s second largest garment export industry.

Garment shipments grew an impressive 20 percent in the six months to December compared to the same period last year, data released in January showed.

Union leader Babul Akter disputed the association’s figure on the number of factories complying with the hike, saying separate research by union groups showed only 20 percent were paying workers the new wage.

“Workers were downgraded from experienced category to trainee just to make sure that the manufacturers don’t have to raise wages that much,” Akter said.

The government pledged to raise wages after strikes in September saw tens of thousands of workers take to the streets, torch factories and clash with police.

In November, a government-appointed panel voted to raise the minimum salaries to 5,300 taka ($68) from 3,000 taka, following the protests and a series of disasters that highlighted appalling conditions.

Most unions accepted the hike following requests from the prime minister and the manufacturers.

The pay rise still makes Bangladeshi garment workers among the lowest paid in the textile sector in the world.

Protests over poor wages, benefits and working conditions are frequent in Bangladesh, but gained intensity after the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory complex in April last year, which killed 1,135 people.

MORE…

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140123/bangladesh-garment-factories-failing-pay-minimum-wage

[TheCommunistManifestor]

The Bourgeoisie don't understand that the more they screw over the proletariat masses the more the proletariat masses are going to want to revolt.

[ckaihatsu]

We're counting on you to support Bangladeshi workers




Chris,

It’s all come down to this moment. At least four major universities across the country are on the verge of requiring their apparel brands – including notorious workers rights abuser VF Corporation – to sign the Bangladesh Safety Accord, a legally-binding contract between unions and brands designed to end deathtrap factory conditions.

Stand with Bangladeshi workers: send a message to the presidents of four universities who need a little extra push from people like you to do the right thing for worker safety. (http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9AaECTeaClY1r0eT%2FQsLHvbpjklZCkuK)

At the University of California, six California congresspeople recently sent a letter to President Napolitano, echoing students and workers’ demands that the university require brands to sign the Accord. In response, Eric Wiseman, the CEO of VF Corporation, owner of North Face, Jansport, and other brands, sent an attack letter (http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=o07IbxvcP9X%2FjHLKWhToTfbpjklZCkuK) to Napolitano, claiming that VF has been “wrongly and unfairly targeted by USAS.” We won’t allow VF to bully our universities and attack students for telling the truth about their deadly track record in Bangladesh.

At the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, students have been waging a pitched battle in VF Corporation’s home state to require brands to sign the Accord. After a dramatic delegation to the Chancellor’s office where students dressed up as the mascots of other schools that have required their brands to sign the Accord, the Chancellor announced that she will be making a final decision about the Accord in the coming days.

At the University of Michigan, students brought two Bangladeshi workers to campus for a packed speak out event in February. The university’s licensing committee has already recommended that the university require its brands to sign the Accord. Students are expecting a decision any day now from President Coleman, so they’re holding a naked anti-sweatshop march on Monday to ensure she makes the right call.

And lastly, at Virginia Tech, our USAS local has been campaigning to get President Steger to require brands to sign the Accord through a variety of actions, including the creation of a coalition of student organizations and a “work out for workers’ rights.” President Steger has said that his administration is “inclined to participate” in the Accord. Unfortunately, in the past “inclined to participate” has meant that Virginia Tech is inclined to stall. We’re expecting a decision on the Accord early this week and we need all the support we can get.

Can we count on your support? Send an email to the presidents of the University of California, the University of Michigan, Virginia Tech, and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill letting them know that now is the time to stand up for worker safety in Bangladesh. (http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MtNKvScrfX%2B9uNuRqiBF%2F%2FbpjklZCkuK)

With students fighting for justice on their campuses and Bangladeshi workers protesting in the streets of Dhaka, we know that we’ll beat VF Corporation and other companies who have refused to take responsibility for worker safety.

Thanks so much for your support.

In solidarity,

Haley Keen
USAS Local #124 at Virginia Tech


United Students Against Sweatshops | USAS.org
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[ckaihatsu]

Sit-in at NYU!


Chris,

Currently, 18 students, including me, are occupying NYU’s Welcome Center to tell President Sexton that JanSport is not welcome at NYU. We have been asking our school to cut its contract with JanSport over its parent company, VF Corporation’s, refusal to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, and President Sexton has so far refused to take action.

Call John Sexton right now at (212) 998-2345 and demand that he listen to students and cut the contract with JanSport now.

This semester, we’ve delivered multiple letters, held a candlelight vigil, protested in the bookstore, heard from two workers from Bangladesh who spoke on campus and had 60 faculty members sign a letter to the President. But our administration is dragging its feet. We need your support to help them make the right decision.

If you can get through to President Sexton, great, if not, leave a message on his voicemail or with whomever answers. Here’s a sample message, or feel free to make your own:

“Hi, my name is _________, and I’m calling to support the Student & Labor Action Movement students who are waiting to meet with you in the Welcome Center. NYU should do the right thing and cut its contract with JanSport.”

We’ll be here until President Sexton can make time to meet with us. Can we count on your support? Call President Sexton at (212) 998-2345 right now.

In solidarity,

Anne Falcon
NYU Student & Labor Action Movement
USAS Local #44
P.S. Follow NYU SLAM on Facebook for updates throughout the day!



United Students Against Sweatshops | USAS.org
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[Max]

69 cents. That is ridiculous. And the corporations don't even pay them that?? How can you fail to pay someone 69 cents an hour? This is ridiculous. The more the workers are abused, the more they will want to revolt.

[ckaihatsu]

Sit-in at SCU: Putting Jesuit values to the test




Hi Chris,

Currently, 12 students, including me, are occupying Santa Clara University President Father Michael Engh's office, demanding that he cut the university’s contract with JanSport over worker deaths caused by their parent company, VF Corporation. Nationwide, this is the sixth sit-in over the last two months to demand our universities cut ties with JanSport/VF. Our movement is spreading.

Students at Santa Clara have been campaigning for the past two quarters, while our administration has spent countless hours making excuses for VF’s deadly track record in Bangladesh. Father Engh has yet to meet with Labor Action Committee students to discuss these issues. In one of the biggest tests of our university’s commitment to Jesuit values and social justice in recent years, Father Engh is failing. Now, we’re sending him a message he can’t ignore, and we need your support.

Call Father Engh right now at (408) 554-4100 and demand that he listen to the students in his office and cut the contract with JanSport now. Six months is too long to wait for justice.

We’ve run a long campaign, tabling to educate our community, delivering countless letters, sitting in hours of frustrating meetings, holding a candlelight vigil, holding a rally on campus, and even bringing two Bangladeshi garment workers to campus to tell their stories. Bangladeshi unions have written directly to Father Engh urging him to cut Jansport. Congressional leaders and California state legislators have weighed in supporting the Accord. Despite all of this, our administrators have issued a firm NO to cutting SCU’s contract with JanSport. One administrator even claimed that students should be more concerned about the impact of the Accord on US corporations like VF than the impact on workers lives.

If Santa Clara stood up for human rights by cutting its contract with JanSport, it would not be alone. In the last four month, VF has lost 15 university contracts, including its contract with NYU where administrators recently decided to reverse a prior decision and cut ties with JanSport after 30 students sat in on May Day.

If you can get through to Father Engh, great, if not, leave a message on his voicemail or with whoever answers. Be polite but firm. Here’s a sample message, or feel free to make your own:

“Hi, my name is _________, and I’m calling to support the students who are in your office right now. It’s shocking to me that in the face of overwhelming student support, you’re still refusing to do the right thing and cut SCU's contract with JanSport.”

We’re prepared to stay here as long as it takes. Can we count on your support? Call Father Engh at (408) 554-4100 and tell him that you stand with the students calling for an end to VF sweatshops.

In solidarity,

Claudia Fernandez
Labor Action Committee
USAS Local #32


United Students Against Sweatshops | USAS.org
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[4thInter]

http://www.revleft.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=1456&pictureid=11764
Because Capitalism...

[Psycho P and the Freight Train]

http://www.revleft.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=1456&pictureid=11764
Because Capitalism...

It's funny because I don't even think a lot of people in this forum realize that central banking cartels are at the top of the pyramid. They dismiss it as a conspiracy and say that "oh nah the bourgeoisie is random, a CEO and a local food mart owner are under the same classification." :laugh:

[ckaihatsu]

It's funny because I don't even think a lot of people in this forum realize that central banking cartels are at the top of the pyramid. They dismiss it as a conspiracy and say that "oh nah the bourgeoisie is random, a CEO and a local food mart owner are under the same classification." :laugh:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_for_International_Settlements

[ckaihatsu]

Turn up the pressure on Walmart & Children's Place for workers in Bangladesh


Dear Friends,

Thank you for signing Aklima's petition (https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/justice-for-rana-plaza-survivors) calling for justice for Rana Plaza victims. The petition has reached over 100,000 signers, but Walmart and Children's Place have paid less than 6% of what they owe to the families of the 1,138 workers who were killed and to the workers injured in the building collapse.

With Children's Place holding its shareholder meeting today and Walmart meeting on Friday, it's critical that we turn up the pressure now. Yesterday survivors and children who lost their parents demonstrated at the Rana Plaza site, calling on Walmart and Children's Place to pay full and fair compensation to the victims of their lethal negligence. Please help make sure that their demands reach the companies by speaking out on twitter or putting in a phone call.

http://action.laborrights.org/images/tcp_walmart_payup_photobyBCWS.jpg


Sample tweets:

[email protected]: Listen to orphans, injured workers, suffering families: #PayUp for #RanaPlaza! http://orphansplace.com @orphansplace $PLCE

[email protected]: #PayUp full and fair to #RanaPlaza and #Tazreen victims in Bangladesh! http://walmartdeathtraps.com $WMT #EndDeathtraps via @ILRF

[email protected] @ChildrensPlace pay your fair share for ppl killed making your clothes! https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/justice-for-rana-plaza-survivors $WMT $PLCE #PayUp #EndDeathtraps

If you don't have a twitter account, please take a moment today to call Michael Scarpa, EVP, COO & CFO at Children's Place, directly at 201.558.2400, ext. 37351 to urge the company to pay the full $8 million to Rana Plaza victims.

You can also click here to share a powerful graphic on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FInte rnationalLaborRights%2Fphotos%2Fa.1015044005633005 2.638625.44845920051%2F10154076519695052%2F%3Ftype %3D1&theater).

Thanks for taking action,

Liana Foxvog, International Labor Rights Forum
in solidarity with Aklima Khanam and all Rana Plaza workers

PS. If you haven't yet, please share Aklima's petition with your friends. Here's the link:
http://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/justice-for-rana-plaza-survivors



You received this email because you signed the petition 'Justice for Rana Plaza survivors'. If you don't want to receive emails from the 'Justice for Rana Plaza survivors' campaign in the future, please unsubscribe.