Talks to discuss compensation for the survivors and the families of victims of the Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashion fire was stalled when a number of global fashion brands linked to the sites failed to show up.
The September 11 and 12 roundtable in Geneva was initiated by global unions, IndustriALL and Union Network International, and facilitated by the ILO.
International rights activists said it was a display of “utter contempt” for the over 3,700 workers affected by the two disasters.
IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Monika Kemperle said: “Almost a half-year has passed since Rana Plaza collapsed. Only one brand has so far provided compensation.”
A total of nine brands attended: Bon Marché, Camaieu, El Corte Ingles, Kik, Loblaw, Mascot, Matalan, Primark and Store Twenty One.
The 20 companies which failed to show up were Adler, Auchan, Benetton, C&A, Carrefour, Cato Corp, The Children’s Place, Dressbarn, Essenza, FTA International, Gueldenpfennig, Iconix Brand, Inditex, JC Penney, Kids Fashion Group, LPP, Mango, Manifattura Corona, NKD, Premier Clothing, PWT Group, Texman and Walmart.
The global unions along with the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) proposed a model for compensation that would include payments for pain and suffering, and loss of income.
For Rana Plaza US$74,571,101 would be needed to provide full compensation to all workers, of which the brands are being asked to contribute US$33,556,996. For Tazreen US$6,442,000 is required, with US$2,899,000 asked of the brands.
International experts outlined best practices for the establishment of a compensation fund, overseen by a multi-stakeholder committee. No such agreement was reached at the Geneva meeting.
Primark has already provided compensation. After the Geneva talks only the UK retailer pledged a further three months’ salary to all affected.
The companies that missed the Tazreen fire meeting were Walmart, Delta Apparel, Dickies, Disney, El Corte Inglés, Edinburgh Woolen Mill, Kik, Li & Fung, Piazza Italia, Sean John, Sears, Teddy Smith and Walmart.
