[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6922-6923]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  PROTECT BANGLADESHI FACTORY WORKERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, little more than 100 
years ago, a New York State assemblyman was an eyewitness to one of our 
Nation's worst industrial tragedies--the Triangle Shirtwaist factory 
fire. He recounted how he saw girl after girl appear in the reddened 
windows, pause for a terrified moment, and then leap to the pavement 
below, to land as a mangled, bloody pulp. He said it went on for what 
seemed like a ghastly eternity, and described how the firemen's life 
nets were torn by the impact of falling bodies.
  This inferno at a sweatshop garment factory in New York City employed 
mostly poor, immigrant women. One hundred forty-six workers died that 
day because it lacked proper stairways, fire escapes, and managers had 
locked all of the exits. This tragedy shook our Nation and led to 
lifesaving workplace safety reforms.
  A century later, I recently met a young Bangladeshi garment worker 
named Sumi. She, too, jumped from a window of the Tazreen garment 
factory. She survived, but 12 of her coworkers who jumped with her did 
not. More than 100 others who never had the opportunity to jump were 
found inside of the factory dead. This haunting tragedy has many 
parallels to the Triangle fire: exit doors were locked; fire 
extinguishers were not working; fire codes went unenforced.
  We don't tolerate those workplace conditions in the United States 
anymore, but those are deadly conditions that are tolerated in other 
countries that make the clothing that we wear. These tragedies have 
moved from New York to Bangladesh, driven by the business models and 
global supply chains of the world's leading retailers and clothing 
brands. But now Bangladesh has had what might be its own Triangle 
Shirtwaist fire.
  On April 24, more than 1,100 people died as Rana Plaza and its 
garment factories collapsed. Some 2,000 more were injured, and rescuers 
are still pulling bodies out 3 weeks later. There have been an 
additional 40 fires, explosions, and other incidents between the 
Tazreen fire and the Rana Plaza tragedies. It's simply a matter of time 
before there is another one.
  These incidents shocked people around the globe and laid bare the 
need for bold action. The lives of 4 million workers in these factories 
are counting on bold action. But not everyone has been shocked. Major 
American retailers and clothing brands have refused to change the way 
they conduct business in Bangladesh, the second largest garment 
producer in the world after China. They are hoping instead that the 
heightened attention will pass without having to change their business 
model. That business model pits sweatshop against sweatshop, country 
against country, in a race to the bottom to rake in billions of dollars 
in profits while paying as little as 22 cents per shirt.
  In Bangladesh, American and international companies flourish in this 
system, companies we all know like Walmart, the Gap, JCPenney, and The 
Children's Place, just to name a few. They refuse to accept 
responsibility.
  So what can be done to improve the Bangladeshi factory safety? 
Certainly there are things local government can do: address corruption 
that allows unsafe, dangerous structures; enforce safety codes; defend 
the right of workers to form unions and to have workers be able to 
refuse unsafe work.
  The Bangladeshi Government is scrambling to implement limited 
reforms, hoping to keep the industry that is critical to its economy, 
but only the retailers and brands can put a floor under this race to 
the bottom. The economic power rests with them. That is why the 
announcement this week by major European companies and one American 
company that they have signed a binding and enforceable fire and 
building safety agreement for Bangladesh factories is so significant.
  H&M, Zara, Primark, and C&A are to be applauded for their 
unprecedented and bold steps. They have been joined by only one 
American company, Phillips-Van Heusen, which has Calvin Klein and Tommy 
Hilfiger among its brands, and one major German retailer. But now El 
Corte Ingles, Marks & Spencer, Mango, and Benetton have also agreed to 
sign this enforceable agreement.

[[Page 6923]]

  The agreement provides for independent safety inspections with public 
reports, mandatory repairs and renovations, money to fund the necessary 
safety upgrades, the right of workers to refuse unsafe work, and the 
vital role of workers and unions. This agreement is truly 
unprecedented.
  But where are the other American companies? Where are the American 
retailers? Where are the American clothing brands? Where is Walmart? 
Where is JCPenney? Where is the Gap? Where is The Children's Place? 
Their silence in the face of this tragedy is inexcusable. They should 
sign the binding safety agreement to protect Bangladeshi workers. They 
should sign it now.
  Experts estimate safety improvements under this plan would cost about 
a dime a garment. A dime for the life of these women.
  I urge all Americans to join in demanding that the American retailers 
and fashion brands stop selling their bloodstained labels and sign the 
enforceable agreement to protect these Bangladeshi women.

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