A host of organizations including the B.C. Federation of Labour issued a letter May 1, 2013 to Galen Weston, Executive Chairman, Loblaw Companies Ltd., calling on the company to take immediate steps to ensure such tragedies as the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh do not occur in the future.
“We are mourning the tragic deaths in Bangladesh, but we are also issuing a call to action for the living,” said Jim Sinclair, B.C. Federation of Labour President.
“Loblaws’ Joe Fresh clothing was made in that factory, and there needs to be transparent assurances that any compensation to the families must get to them,” said Sinclair, “but just as important, Loblaws and all companies in that garment factory ghetto must sign onto fire and safety programs, must allow freedom for the workers to join unions and negotiate for their working conditions. It is appalling that these workers died making garments for export to Canada. From news reports, the workers entered a condemned building to avoid being fired from a job that paid less than 25 cents an hour.”
A copy of the joint letter to Galen Weston can be found at: http://bit.ly/13PcZVY
A copy of the Press Release from The Maquila Solidarity Network can be found at: http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/node/1125
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Contact: Jane Armstrong 604-430-1421.