SPECTRUM/SHAHRIYAR UPDATE #13

April 11 marks the third anniversary of the Spectrum factory collapse in Bangladesh. The collapse, of the factory, build on swamp and not up to standard, killed 64 and injured 80, of which 54 seriously.

Following a period of intense campaigning in Bangladesh and internationally, the formation of a Relief Fund was announced by former buyer Inditex (Zara), cooperating with the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF). The fund, originally scheduled to be launched in September 2006, is intended to provide the victims and the families of the survivors with a monthly income, and follows previous efforts to provide medical care and other types of emergency relief. Several companies producing at Spectrum and the adjoining Shahriyar Fabric-Inditex (Spain), KarstadtQuelle (Germany), New Wave Group (Sweden), Scapino (Netherlands), and Solo Invest (France) have agreed to participate in the fund. Those who have not committed to the partcipate include: Carrefour (France), Cotton Group (Belgium), New Yorker, Steilmann, Kirsten Mode, and Bluhmod (Germany).

As reported on April 11 2007, progress on implementing the relief scheme had been delayed due to various reasons (including the political situation in Bangladesh), but at a meeting on April 1st 2007 in Dhaka, Inditex (Zara), initiator of the fund, distributed about US$ 3,000 total, divided over 22 of the victims, and pledged that the rest of an announced $60,000 advance would reach the remaining families shortly.

Unfortunately during the last year there have been further delays regarding the advance payments. About 75 US$ was paid out to the victims since last year, but no advance payments were realized for the families of the dead. For more details on previous payments made before April 07, see http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/07-04-10-spectrum.htm.

Progress was made last October on reviewing the medical status of the various victims, and medical care continues to be available. CCC is currently awaiting feedback from the initiators of the relief scheme, and sincerely hopes that payments will start shortly.

On April 11, 2008, the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) in Bangladesh organized a press conference demanding full implementation of the Spectrum Trust Fund for the welfare of the affected workers and the families of the dead. CCC continues to call upon the brands who so far refused to commit to the scheme to participate.