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Matalan, Asda-Walmart and Gap pressed on safety
16 May 2013
War on Want today urged the public to step up the pressure on dissident retailers which failed to meet yesterday’s deadline to sign the Bangladesh Safety Accord.
Read more: Matalan, Asda-Walmart and Gap pressed on safety
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24 hours left – Mango joins Bangladesh safety agreement – Gap and Asda refusing to sign
15 May 2013
With less than 24 hours left before the deadline Mango, one of the major UK high street brands sourcing from the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh where over 1,000 people were killed, has joined other major retailers in signing the Bangladesh Safety Accord. Despite many major companies including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Next signing up, Gap and Asda Wal-Mart are both refusing to sign and are attempting to undermine this vital initiative.
Read more: 24 hours left – Mango joins Bangladesh safety agreement – Gap and Asda refusing to sign
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M&S, Tesco and Benetton sign Bangladesh safety agreement: Mango and others hold out
14 May 2013
Major UK retailers Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Benetton have all announced that they will be joining Primark and H&M in signing the Bangladesh Safety Accord. The announcement comes in the face of enormous public pressure for UK companies to ensure disasters like the Rana Plaza building collapse where over 1,000 people, mostly female garment workers, were killed, never happen again.
Read more: M&S, Tesco and Benetton sign Bangladesh safety agreement: Mango and others hold out
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Primark bows to pressure and signs safety agreement
13 May 2013
Retailers Primark and H&M have bowed to popular pressure and signed the Bangladesh Safety Accord after over one million people called on retailers demanding action to ensure disasters like this can never happen again through negligence.
Read more: Primark bows to pressure and signs safety agreement
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Alfamir update: out of town but not out of danger
10 May 2013
Last month almost 3,000 of you took part in our online action to send an email to the Colombian embassy demanding immediate protection for threatened Colombian human rights defender Alfamir Castillo, whose son was murdered along with a friend by the Colombian army in 2008.
Read more: Alfamir update: out of town but not out of danger
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CODEMUH: fighting back in Honduras
05 May 2013
This weekend, a War on Want delegation met members of CODEMUH, the Honduran Women's Collective, in the northern Honduran town of San Pedro Sula. We heard the testimony of women workers from the maquila (garment sector) around San Pedro Sula, many of whom have been permanently disabled as a result of their work in factories supplying well known Western brands with clothes. The videos below offer a brief sample of their stories, and of the importance of CODEMUH in organising women workers and providing them with the confidence to continue their struggle.
Read more: CODEMUH: fighting back in Honduras
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Shack dwellers fighting for ‘Marikana’ land in Cape Town
02 May 2013
The homes of hundreds of shack dwellers have been repeatedly destroyed by South African government agents this week in a settlement named Marikana in Philippi East, Cape Town.
Marikana was so named to honour the workers who died for a living wage in the miner strikes last year and because the residents are also “organising ourselves peacefully and are willing to die for our struggle” says Sandile Ngoxolo. Many residents have rebuilt their homes three times in as many days and seen it torn down each time, but this is the only home they have.
Read more: Shack dwellers fighting for ‘Marikana’ land in Cape Town
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Bonmarche join high street names in petition to ensure Bangladesh tragedy never happens again
01 May 2013
British retailer Bonmarche has admitted it was supplied by companies based in the building that collapsed a week ago today. In response the company have today pledged support for those affected. This is simply not good enough.
Therefore Bonmarche has now joined Primark, Matalan and Mango on the 67,000 strong petition calling for retailers to pay full compensation to victims families and ensure all of the brands commit to act to ensure this kind of tragedy never happens again. If you haven't already you can write to the companies and demand action.
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Primark to pay compensation to Bangladesh victims - brands must act to ensure it never happens again
30 April 2013
War on Want responds to announcements by Primark and Matalan to the Bangladesh building collapse.
Last night Primark announced that it would pay compensation to the victims of the Bangladesh building collapse that had worked for its supplier factory in the building. Primark’s announcement came after over 50,000 people signed a petition from War on Want’s partner in Bangladesh, the National Garment Workers Federation, calling on Primark, Matalan and Mango to pay full compensation to the workers.
Responding to Primark’s announcement, Ruth Tanner, Campaigns Director at War on Want said:
"If UK high street chains like Primark had put in place proper measures to ensure the workers who make their clothes are safe, these deaths could have been avoided. “
"While Primark has taken some responsibility, the retailer and the other companies involved must pay full compensation, including loss of earnings, sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement and ensure such a disaster never happens again."
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We won! Adidas pays out to PT Kizone workers in Indonesia
30 April 2013
In a landmark victory, Adidas has agreed to compensate 2,800 Indonesian garment workers who were owed US $1.8 million in severance pay following the closure of sportswear factory PT Kizone in Indonesia.
Read more: We won! Adidas pays out to PT Kizone workers in Indonesia
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