Five years after the Rana Plaza disaster, brands including Myer and Just Jeans still haven’t signed an agreement to improve workers’ conditions

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A group of well-known Australian clothing brands has failed to sign a crucial accord protecting garment workers in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster, according to Oxfam.



Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, Bangladesh’s worst industrial disaster. The building housed five garment factories supplying global clothing brands, and 1,135 people were killed when it fell.

The tragedy sharpened the world’s focus on the appalling conditions endured by garment workers in Bangladesh and elsewhere, and put public pressure on western brands to do more to ensure safety and labour rights in their supply chains.

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It led to the development of the accord on fire and building safety in Bangladesh, an independent, legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions to protect workers.

So far, the accord covers 1,600 factories, 767 of which have mostly completed safety remediation. The accord has 222 signatory companies and is estimated to cover 2 million workers.

The agreement also gives greater legal power to workers to ensure brands are protecting them. Earlier this year, the accord was used by garment worker unions to reach a landmark $2.3m settlement with a multinational apparel brand accused of delays in remedying life-threatening hazards at its factories.

The previous accord, struck in 2013, is about to expire, and brands have another month to sign the 2018 agreement.

But Oxfam and an alliance of 13 Australian organisations say a number of well-known Australian brands are dragging their feet.



Among the businesses that did not sign the last accord and are yet to sign the 2018 accord are the Just Group, which includes Just Jeans and Peter Alexander, and Fast Future, incorporating Valley Girl and Temt. Others that have signed neither agreement included Best and Less, Myer, and Country Road.

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Noni-B, Workwear Group and Licensing Essentials signed last year’s accord but were yet to agree to this year’s, Oxfam said.

The Oxfam Australia chief executive, Helen Szoke, urged the companies to live up to their responsibilities to workers.

“Signing the accord is about ensuring the absolute basics in the rights of more than two million garment workers – more than 70% of whom are women – in Bangladesh,” she said.

“While safety concerns persist in some Bangladesh garment factories, the accord has had a real impact. This is just one step in tackling the appalling treatment of workers, with a growing call for increased transparency and the payment of living wages to allow them to break the cycle of poverty.”

Those who signed the last accord include APG and Co, Designworks Clothing Company Pty Limited, Cotton on Group, Forever New, K-Mart Australia, Licensing Essentials Pty Ltd, Noni B, Pacific Brands, Specialty Fashions Australia, Target Australia, Woolworths Australia and Workwear Group Pty Ltd.

A Myer spokesman said the company “expects all suppliers to adhere to our Ethical Sourcing Policy to ensure ethical, safe and lawful manufacture and supply of merchandise”.