GENEVA-One year after the Rana Plaza Building collapse in Dakha which killed 1138 workers and injured over 2000 others, ILO and Trade Union Movement called for the respect of workers’ rights and the improvement of working conditions in Bangladesh. With the support of the ILO, the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety signed by workers and employers organizations is one of the several measures taken to protect workers in the garment industries in Bangladesh. Today, many challenges continue to be faced by workers. Social dialogue and international labour standards are two keys to improve security and health and safety at workplace in Bangladesh.

On the 28th April, The ILO’s Bureau for Workers’ Activities will organise a panel discussion, to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Rana Plaza. Discussions focus on the role of ILO and its constituents in the prevention of such tragedies. Below are some views of the attending participants’ to this panel about the current challenges to improve health and safety at workplace in Bangladesh.

Gilbert Houngbo, ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships “In my view, the key challenge in the immediate term is obviously to get sufficient resources to pay for the compensation to the victims.Other challenge would be drawing lessons what has happened, how we make sure that never happens again and how do we make sure that we do not jeopardize peoples’ health and safety for any reasons. Another challenge that we have moving forward is how we could assist the government of Bangladesh as a country to have the minimum institutional capacity to face such challenges. (…) We need to make sure that we have the minimum living standards that are needed for the workers and to do it in a way that it does not jeopardize the economy, the business”.

Maria Helena ANDRE, Director of ILO-Bureau for Workers ‘Activities (ACTRAV) "The development of sustainable, serious and meaningful social dialogue at all levels is the main vehicle for the improvement of working conditions and workers' protection in Bangladesh, as in any other country in the world. Long-lasting effects can only be achieved through the shared engagement and joint action of government, employers and workers. Social dialogue cannot be seen as an option that is used at random but as part of the ordinary institutional setting of each country. This requires strong, autonomous and independent social partners' organisations. It requires strong, autonomous and independent trade unions, able to promote and to ensure the respect for the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Experience shows that those countries that have the highest trade union density and the highest coverage of collective agreements are those that are more developed and where working conditions are better”.

Sharan Burrow, Secretary General of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) “On this day our sympathy is extended to all the familiars of the Rana plaza tragedy. One year, after the tragedy, the Bangladesh government still needs to reform labour laws to respect basic ILO standards, most importantly the right to organise a union, so that never again can workers be made to go into a dangerous workplace against their will. All multinational brands need to all join the Bangladesh Accord with IndustriALL and UNI and pay into the compensation fund. There can be no further hiding from delivering safe workplaces and fair minimum wages on which workers can live with dignity”.

Christy Hoffman, Deputy General Secretary UNI-Global Union “A year on from the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety continues to make steps forward to improve the lives of Bangladeshi garment workers. More than 160 global brands have committed to the Accord, a program of unprecedented scale, independence, rigor and transparency. The agreement now covers 1600 factories employing 2 million workers. The inspection program is in full operation, conducting 45 inspections per week, with the aim to inspect 1500 factories by October. We have taken on the daunting task of putting right thirty years of neglect in five years with the aim to ensure that Rana Plaza never happens again”.

Monika Kemperle, Assistant general secretary, Industri ALL Global Unions “Collectively, the unions, NGOs and brands have much to be proud of regarding our progress in Bangladesh over the past 12 months. The Accord for Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh has shifted the way we all work and sets out a blueprint for meaningful joint work in other countries and industries. A large-scale industrial accident in Bangladesh was waiting to happen. A system had been allowed to develop whereby in search of greater profits all brands turned a blind eye to outsourcing and cutting corners on safety and working conditions. We hope to be able to report the success of the Accord, the success of the Rana Plaza Trust Fund, the increased minimum wage, and the improved labour law. For this to be the case the Rana Plaza brands must pay compensation now so that the Trust Fund has the required US$40 million”.