Monday, November 26, 2012

TRIANGLE vs TAZREEN: A Tale of Two Fires


On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory went up in flames. 146 workers died in the fire, from smoke inhalation, and from jumping or falling to their death. Here are a few useful factoids worth noting:
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist company occupied top three floors of the 10 story building.
  • Immigrant workers worked 9 hours a day during the week and 7 hours on Saturdays, earning between $7.00 and $12.00 per week.
  • The oldest victim was Providenza Panno, age 48.
  • The youngest victim was 11 year old Mary Goldstein.

101 years later, on November 25th, 2012, the Tazreen Fashion factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh went up in flames. At least 111 workers died in the fire, from smoke inhalation, and from trying to escape via the staircases in the building.  Here are a few useful factoids worth noting:
  • The building was 9 stories high, with most of the workers on the first five floors. The top three floors were under construction and unoccupied.
  • Although most workers were gone for the day, more than 600 were working overtime.
  • Workers were paid approximately $37.00 per month, the government mandated wage....which is about $9.25 per week.
  • The factory had a history of safety violations and had previously been coded “orange,” a warning grade, by Wal-Mart.


One would think that impact of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire would have a greater impact on American work and safety ethic. And I supposed that government regulation within the United States insures that sweatshops are few and far between. They are not gone here…we all know this….but they are no longer standard parts of the working landscape. Outside the US, however is another story completely.

The American appetite for mass produced brand-name-luxury-goods-at-on sale-prices sends scouts out looking for the next cheap labor pool. I defy you to find mass produced clothing made in the US. It was just a few months ago that Ralph Lauren was taken to task for producing the hideously ugly Olympic uniforms overseas. But I stray from the point. 

One can argue this demand employs millions of workers worldwide. But does having a job in a slave factory at slave wages make having any job okay? As an “advanced” society, what exactly do we owe those workers? 

A lot of people will say we owe them nothing. They working conditions should be monitored by their own government, not ours…and that is correct. However, if the contract holder is an American firm or retail chain, do we not have an obligation to make certain the workers are treated fairly and paid a decent wage. BUT…is our idea of “fair” and our idea of “decent wage” a uniform standard?

Does any of this bother you? It sure as hell bothers me. For the record and to be PERFECTLY clear, I will not set one single foot inside a Wal-Mart. Their idea of ethics and my idea of ethics are diametrically opposed. I try to shop locally whenever possible. And when I do shop, especially for soft goods like towels and clothing, there are some countries I will NOT support. China is first on that list. And there is a method to the madness.

The criteria is “how good a trading partner is the country on the label, and what do I know about their human rights record?” The corollary becomes, “Is this manufacturer known for being human rights cognizant?” This is like being kosher. You know what you’re supposed to eat and not eat. Reading food labels is a way of life, so it’s not exactly a quantum leap to read clothing labels. This is my private little revolt, but at least I am cognizant of what I am buying and where my very hard earned dollars are going. 

The workers of Bangladesh and other places where clothing is contracted deserve a whole lot more than sweatshop conditions and a $1.00 an hour wage. They have the right to clean and safe factory floors with ample exits and safety training. As long as they are an integral part of our consumer chain, they should be able to have hopes and expectations just like American workers. If you insist on off-shoring your contracts, at least act like a responsible citizen abroad. 

Orange carding the factory is not enough. Telling the brokers you will not contract to a substandard manufacturing facility is a non-negotiable point. Explaining to your shareholders that ethics are more important than profit will be a challenge, but it can and must be done. 

Tell your customers. People want to feel good about what they buy. Up the ethical standard…and then advertise the hell out of it. Raise the bar. Set the example. Do what’s right for everyone. 

Do what’s right for everyone….and there will be no more Triangle Shirtwaist or Tazreen Fashion fires. 

The Wifely Person's Tip O'the Week
Have ethical issues with a company's trading practices?
Vote with your feet and your wallet.
Someone else actually wants your business.

6 comments:

  1. WP - Even before I read beyond the headlines from Bangladesh, I could guess the depressing details. Locked exits, low pay, poor conditions etc. However I will guarantee you that stories about "Black Friday" far outweighed this one. As long as people can get cheap mass-prduced goods at the loccal discount stores, then they will continue to treat tragedies like this as purely "collateral damage"

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  2. I, too, am outraged about the Tanzeen fire, and also have been avoiding Wal-Mart like the plague (which in a sense it is) for the last two years. Granddaddy Walton's "Made in America" policy went the way of 8-track tapes when the kids took over.

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't mind paying a little more for American-made goods...when I can find them. But beats me what Ralph Lauren was thinking to have the United States' Olympic uniform made overseas. He's usually more PC and socially conscious that that.

    However, I **DO** know what Team Romney was thinking when it ordered "soft" campaign items like ball caps and such from China: that it wouldn't occur to the "uber patriotic" Rethug bubbas who'd be wearing them to look to see where they were made OR if they did, couldn't read the label. So much for the Rmoney promises to create jobs in America... (Obama's, btw, WERE made IN THE USA.) I, too, am outraged about the Tanzeen fire, and also have been avoiding Wal-Mart like the plague (which in a sense it is) for the last two years. Granddaddy Walton's "Made in America" policy went the way of 8-track tapes when the kids took over.

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't mind paying a little more for American-made goods...when I can find them. But beats me what Ralph Lauren was thinking to have the United States' Olympic uniform made overseas. He's usually more PC and socially conscious that that.

    However, I **DO** know what Team Romney was thinking when it ordered "soft" campaign items like ball caps and such from China: that it wouldn't occur to the "uber patriotic" Rethug bubbas who'd be wearing them to look to see where they were made OR if they did, couldn't read the label. So much for the Rmoney promises to create jobs in America... (Obama's, btw, WERE made IN THE USA.)

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    Replies
    1. Susan, everything transferred just fine. Thanks for asking!

      Delete
    2. JemaGenie, I think I'm seeing double or at least having deja vu all over again, but I also think it bears repeating (only once this time):

      I, too, am outraged about the Tanzeen fire, and also have been avoiding Wal-Mart like the plague (which in a sense it is) for the last two years. Granddaddy Walton's "Made in America" policy went the way of 8-track tapes when the kids took over.

      I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't mind paying a little more for American-made goods...when I can find them. But beats me what Ralph Lauren was thinking to have the United States' Olympic uniform made overseas. He's usually more PC and socially conscious that that.

      However, I **DO** know what Team Romney was thinking when it ordered "soft" campaign items like ball caps and such from China: that it wouldn't occur to the "uber patriotic" Rethug bubbas who'd be wearing them to look to see where they were made OR if they did, couldn't read the label. So much for the Rmoney promises to create jobs in America... (Obama's, btw, WERE made IN THE USA.)

      Delete
    3. The blog was inadvertently posted twice, hence JamaGenie's original comment went to the version that has been deleted. Sorry for any confusion.

      Delete
  3. To the Wifely Person:

    My name is Lovely* and I live in Bangladesh. This weekend, my worst nightmare came true. Ever since I survived a fire in a garment factory I worked in when I was 11, I've wondered when the next deadly fire would happen.

    A few days ago, a fire killed at least 122 people who were working in a factory that was making clothing for Walmart outside the capital, Dhaka. There were no emergency exits and no evacuation plan. People burned to death. It was my worst nightmare come true.

    I started a petition on Change.org because I think American companies like Walmart can save others from suffering like me and the 700 people who have died in factory fires in Bangladesh in the past 7 years. Please sign my petition calling on Walmart and the largest retailers that buy Bangladeshi apparel to commit to a real fire safety program that is legally binding, transparent and empowers workers to fight for our own safety.

    Already, two American companies -- Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein -- have joined a comprehensive fire safety program for workers in Bangladesh. The program is transparent, includes worker input and is legally binding. It will keep workers like me safe and give workers' families legal rights if fires do happen.

    The fires that do occur happen because most companies that buy the clothing we make don't talk to us workers about what we need for our own safety. Instead, they abandon us when factories like the one I worked in don't pass inspections. But we don't stop being in danger -- the companies just stop feeling responsible for our safety.

    Companies like Walmart, Gap and H&M can join Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein to save lives in Bangladesh. But only if we call on them to do so right now. Please join me in calling on the top buyers from Bangladesh to do the right thing by signing my petition now.

    http://www.change.org/petitions/walmart-h-m-gap-join-fire-safety-program-fix-death-trap-factories

    Thank you.

    Lovely from Bangladesh

    ReplyDelete