Value fashion retailer Primark has defended its position following allegations that workers at its supplier factories in Bangladesh were dismissed for taking part in protests over low wages – and says it will compensate workers whose contracts have been terminated unfairly.
A petition from campaign group Labour Behind the Label alleged 427 workers from Primark suppliers in Bangladesh lost their jobs following “peaceful protests to dispute the sub-poverty minimum wage which is being paid in Bangladesh.” It adds 382 of the workers are now facing false legal charges bought by factory owners, and are unable to find other jobs due to systematic blacklisting.
The petition calls for Primark to work with suppliers to drop the charges, reinstate and compensate dismissed workers, and calls on the government to end the repression and publicly support the Bangladesh Accord.
In a statement to just-style, a spokesperson for Associated British Foods-owned Primark said it was committed to ensuring workers’ rights, continued safety and good working conditions in Bangladesh, both through its Ethical Trade Initiative programme and its work with the Bangladesh Accord.
“As part of this commitment, we are investigating a small number of factories in our supply chain where workers’ contracts appear to have been terminated. We have suspended these suppliers’ factories, meaning no new orders can be placed while the investigations are ongoing.
“If we find that workers’ contracts were terminated inappropriately, we will work with our suppliers to ensure the appropriate remediation programmes are put in place, which would include remunerating any affected workers with compensation that they are legally entitled to.
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By GlobalData“We will also share our findings with other stakeholders, as we believe collaboration with key partners is the only way to bring about effective industry-wide change.
“We remain very selective about who we work with, and every factory that manufactures products for Primark must commit to meeting internationally recognised standards before we place an order. Primark remains committed to ensuring continued safety and good working conditions in Bangladesh.”
