Blind Eye to Working Conditions

New ILRF Report: U.S. Military Exchanges Turn Blind Eye to Working Conditions at Suppliers  

Retail operations run by the U.S. government are buying clothing from unsafe and abusive factories in Bangladesh, according to anew ILRF report featured yesterday on ABC News. In relying on factories’ own unverified claims of compliance with labor law or the audits of companies such as Walmart and Sears the exchanges are, in effect, "flying blind."  In some cases the exchanges cut off relationships with suppliers when presented with evidence of violations, leaving workers behind in potential deathtraps. 

To present our recommendations, ILRF submitted written testimony at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing yesterday. Read ILRF's testimony as well as the powerful testimony by Rana Plaza survivor Reba Sikder and labor leader Kalpona Akter.

Last month a Defense Appropriations report praised the new Marine Corps licensing policy, which requires licensees to join or abide by the requirements of the Bangladesh Safety Accord, and urges military exchanges to adopt the same standard.