Feb 2006, Jahangir Alam and Nura Alam, two workers from the Spectrum garment factory (Savar, Bangladesh), which collapsed on April 11, 2005, will be visiting Europe February 8th through 19th to raise awareness of the outstanding demands of the workers and their families in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

Both men, survivors of the building collapse that killed 64 people, injured over 70 and left hundreds jobless, will be meeting with European trade unions, NGOs and representatives of the companies that were clients of the factory.

“I would like to send my child to school,” said 29-year-old Nura Alam, who lost his arm in the factory collapse. “But now I cannot afford it. My wife, who also worked at the factory, hasn’t been able to find a job, and now has to take care of me because of my injuries, as well as our son.”

Jahangir Alam, 24 years old, and like Nura a knitting machine operator at Spectrum, told the CCC that he still suffers pain from the injuries he sustained in the collapse. Due to the loss of income his family has had to sell off some of their possessions just to survive, and he fears that his father, who suffers from health problems, will now have to take on more work.

Companies that produced their goods at Spectrum and the adjoining Shahriyar factory include KarstadtQuelle, Steilmann, New Yorker, and Kirsten Mode (all based in Germany); Carrefour (France and Belgium); Cotton Group (Belgium), Scapino (the Netherlands); and others. So far only the Spanish-based Inditex, whose Zara brand was produced at the factory, has pursued the development of a trust fund to properly compensate the injured workers and families of those who perished at Spectrum, collaborating closely on this with the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF). Most of the other companies have yet to firmly commit to pay into such a fund. Jahangir Alam and Nura Alam will be meeting with several of these companies during visits to the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany to push them to not only agree to join Inditex in the trust fund and pursue just compensation for the workers, but also to raise awareness of the need for sector-wide action to improve health and safety conditions in the Bangladesh garment sector. According to a recent study from the Bangladesh Institute for Labour Studies, 130 workers in the garment industry died on the job in 2005 and 480 were wounded. A comprehensive health and safety review (including an assessment of the structural safety of all multi-storey garment factories) and follow-up action measures have been called for by local unions and NGOs since the collapse, and it is distressing that no actual progress has been made on this issue.

“My main aim for this trip is to see that the trust fund becomes reality,” said Nura Alam. “I want to let the companies know that they are also responsible for what happened at Spectrum.”

Other outstanding demands in this case are severance payments. The workers who have lost their jobs due to the factory collapse have a legal right to severance pay in the amount of four months wages (plus one month for each year worked) since the date of dismissal. Since none of the workers have received an official letter from the company terminating their employment, it appears that according to the law they are entitled to salaries since April 11 (and then severance from the date of dismissal). Some workers are also owed overtime payments.

Joining the two workers during this tour will be Khorshed Alam, a reseracher with the Alternative Movement for Resources and Freedom Society (AMRF). He has done extensive research on working conditions in the garment sector in Bangladesh.

To arrange an interview with the workers while they are Europe, please contact the CCC International Secretariat or the national-level CCCs hosting the workers.

Tour schedule:

BELGIUM: February 8 –13, 19
For details contact Carole Crabbe
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Tel: +32 (0)10 43 79 60

FRANCE: February 14
For details contact Jean-Paul Arpier
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Tel: + 33 2 99 30 60 53

NETHERLANDS: February 15-16
For details contact Christa de Bruin
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Tel : +31-20-412-2785

GERMANY: February 17-18
For details contact Evelyn Bahn
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Tel : +49 - 30 - 42 89 111