Photo: Sharat Chowdhury
I was outraged yesterday when I heard twice on the news that
consumers are responsible for the 350 deaths that occurred this week when a building
in Bangladesh collapsed where five clothing manufacturing factories were
located.
The comments, one made by a representative of the clothing
industry in an National Public Radio story, said consumers are responsible
because they want to buy cheap clothes and the only way that clothing manufacturers
can do this is keep cutting and cutting the costs of production.
I don’t think so. Clothing manufacturers have the
responsibility to provide a safe workplace for workers. One news report I heard
said cracks started appearing in the walls, but workers were told nothing was
wrong and they should keep working in the building.
Six people, two of the factory owners and four others, have
been arrested, according to a Huffington Post article. Others are being sought
in the tragedy.
I think the American companies that contact with these
factories overseas, and consumers, too, need to pay more attention the safety
conditions for workers in overseas factories.
However, for the clothing industry to try to “get ahead of
the story” by blaming the deaths on consumers is ridiculous.
