The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety will pay 50% wages to workers for two months if productions are suspended due to remediation works.
“As it’s a shared responsibility, 50% wage will be paid by owners and 50% by Alliance. Wages will be paid for eight weeks,” said M Rabin, executive director of Alliance (Bangladesh operation) at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday.
The Alliance, an initiative of North American retailers, has so far completed inspections to over 50% of 700 factories used by them in Bangladesh.
“As we reflect back on the terrible tragedy that occurred at Rana Plaza last year, we are reminded of what is at stake and steadfast in our promise to bring change to the women and men whose livelihood depends on the safety of these factories,” said Ellen Tauscher, Independent Chair of Alliance and a former congresswoman.
Tauscher said she had visited factories and talked to workers who told her that they felt safe now because of the initiative.
“The signatory brands could leave Bangladesh considering sector’s scenario but they did not do this and contributing to the development of fire and building safety, which is a big investment,” said Ellen replying to a question on price hike of the RMG products by the brand.
She said the Alliance was trying to manage low-cost loans for remediation works and had already talked to the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
On the sidelines of the press conference, M Rabin told the Dhaka Tribune that the Alliance inspected over 400 factories and found flaws in only three of them.
“We recommended the review panel to take necessary actions about the flawed units as per the government direction.”
Alliance said they have trained more than 4 lakh factory managers and workers and target to train over 10 lakh factory staff by July 2014.
To promote empowering workers, Alliance will introduce a workers helpline in 50 factories by April and plans to introduce the system in a total of 150 factories by the end of 2014.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Atiqul Islam urged the Accord to take similar steps in contribution to workers’ wage during interim periods and also in arranging staff training.
The issue of fire and building safety came under the spotlight last year, following the catastrophic incident at the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed over 1,100 workers.
Following the factory disaster, the retailers’ platform made a commitment to provide financial and technical support to improve fire and building safety standards of RMG factories, from which they source products.
Rumee Ali, director of Alliance, Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, Sukkur Mahmud, president of Executive Committee of Jatiya Smramik League and Wajedul Islam Khan, general secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra, were also present at the press conference.
