Survey: most workers find it difficult to make ends meet
Rana Plaza survivors left in desperate straits
April 21, 2014
Most of the survivors, around 66 percent, of the Rana Plaza tragedy are leading an inhuman life in the face of difficulties to meet their daily needs, according to a survey. A total of 2,222 victims were surveyed, including 1,436 survivors and 786 family members, by ActionAid Bangladesh. Of them, 2.4 percent cannot make ends meet at all, the survey found.
The objective of the survey was to portray the current socio-economic and physical vulnerability of the workers along with vulnerability of family members of the deceased. The survey also highlighted the dire need for compensation. The top three priorities of the survivors are food and their outstanding house rents and loans. � Although almost one year has passed since the building collapse, 73.7 percent of the survivors are yet to return to work, mainly due to physical ailment (63.74 percent), trauma (23.76 percent) and employers' unwillingness (7.54 percent).
The majority of the respondents have individual and family incomes between Tk 5,000 and Tk 10,000 a month.
It is found that 55 families have failed to manage a consistent source of income in the past 12 months. The much-expected compensation from 28 retailers is still an unresolved issue.
No lesson was learnt from the industrial accidents in the past. As brands are an important part of the supply chain, they have some responsibilities towards the victims. The government has a big fund for the victims. Some workers claimed they have not received any benefits from the fund. They also demanded that the government should look into the issue.
Accord and Alliance, the two platforms of foreign brands for conducting factory inspections in Bangladesh, are focusing on safety only, not compensation. A collective initiative should be taken to resolve the compensation issue. There has been a lack of coordination among various initiatives for giving compensation. Though the government, buyers and owners have made a lot of pledges, most of them remain unmet.
A total of 3,639 workers will get Tk 50,000 each as primary compensation- said Mojtaba Kazazi, executive commissioner of Rana Plaza arrangement coordination committee. Of them, 580 workers already received compensation from Primark, a clothing brand, and the rest will get from the coordination committee.
General Secretary of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, the Bangladesh chapter of IndustriALL Global Union, urged international brands, factory owners and the government to develop a trust fund to meet the immediate needs of the garment workers.�
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