Scores Dead When Factory Collapses in Bangladesh
A.M. Ahad/Associated Press April 24, 2013

Mohammed Sohel Rana, the fugitive owner of an illegally-constructed building that collapsed last week in Bangladesh, is produced before the media by Rapid Action Battalion commandoes in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, April 28, 2013. Rana was arrested near the land border in Benapole in western Bangladesh, just as he was about to flee into India’s West Bengal state, said Jahangir Kabir Nanak, junior minister for local government,. (AP Photo/Palash Khan)

I have been remiss in not reporting on the factory collapse last week in Bangladesh. If there is any good news from this story it is this: the factory owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, has been arrested just before he was to flee the country. So often these factory owners disappear, never to be seen again, while leaving death and destruction in their path.

I just read a great article in the New York Times, “Clothed in Misery”, by M.T. Anderson that draws parallels to similar factory catastrophes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. All that has changed is we have moved the problems from our shores to theirs. We have done very little to alleviate the horrific working conditions of these workers.

I encourage you to take a minute to read this article.  Anderson points out that it would be relatively inexpensive to consumers to eliminate these abhorrent conditions.  I implore you to speak with your wallets and support the brands like Levi Strauss  who are working hard to take care of the workers throughout their supply chain. These brands cannot do this alone, they need our support through purchases of their fairly made products.

Let me know what you think. Are you willing to pay 1% – 3% more to help stem these disasters? 

Fairwear until next time…..

Bangladesh’s Are Only the Latest in Textile Factory Disasters – NYTimes.com.