More than 200 global trade union leaders have shown their unanimous support for the Bangladesh Transition Accord, days before a hearing that will decide the fate of the factory building and safety initiative.
In May, the Bangladesh High Court ordered the Transition Accord, as the original Accord on Fire and Building Safety is now known, to cease operation by 30 November. The decision has been delayed pending a hearing tomorrow (6 December) of the Accord’s appeal against the order.
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At a meeting in Mexico on 29-30 November, the IndustriAll Global Union’s Executive Committee passed a resolution calling on the government of Bangladesh to “guarantee that the Accord is able to continue its work in Bangladesh until such time as there is a competent national regulatory body with the capacity to take-over its functions.”
The government’s Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC) is due to oversee workplace safety and remediation once the Transition Accord ends.
IndustriAll says the Accord has been instrumental in improving the safety of garment factories in Bangladesh. It has identified more than 100,000 fire, building and electrical hazards, of which 89% have been rectified. Over 2m workers have participated in safety training in over 1,000 factories.
The union’s resolution states: “The government of Bangladesh has set up a Remediation Coordination Cell to regulate garment factory safety, however this body still lacks the capacity to take over the role of the Accord, despite claims to the contrary by the Government of Bangladesh.”
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By GlobalDataIn a letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, IndustriAll’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, said the work of the Accord must continue unconditionally.
He added: “We hope that the government of Bangladesh can soon develop a robust national public health and safety inspection system. Nevertheless, until such time arrives, the Accord must continue to play a fundamental role in protecting the lives of millions of workers.”
Industry groups have also spoken out over their concerns that the progress reached on fire safety by the Bangladesh Accord is under “severe threat” if it closes. The looming Accord closure has also been described as a risk to Bangladesh sourcing.
