Urgent actions
Major breakthrough in Bangladesh for Disney workers!
Now it is Disney's turn to act - what are they waiting for?
A Disney contractor in Bangladesh has cleaned up the Shah Makhdum factory, instituted significant improvements, ended abusive conditions, apologised to the workers and agreed to open his factory to independent monitoring when Disney returns its orders.
For eight long years teenage girls sewing Disney garments at the Shah Makhdum factory in Bangladesh were beaten, forced to work 14 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week while living in utter misery and being paid just five cents for each $17.99 Disney shirt they made.
When the women couldn't take any more and asked that their basic rights be respected - that they be treated as human beings and not animals - Disney responded by pulling its work from the factory and dumping the women in the street with nothing. The workers want Disney to do the right thing and return its work to the factory, but this time to respect their rights.
Conditions at Shah Makhdum are vastly improved: beatings and
abuse end! An extraordinary meeting took place the week of October 21, when Shah Makhdum’s owner Bikkis Jahan called all 325 workers together and apologised to them for past abuses and harsh treatment. He then instructed the supervisors to immediately stop hitting, cursing at and threatening the workers.The owner vowed that such cruel treatment will no longer be tolerated. According to the workers, treatment by management has much improved. Shah Makhdum’s director met with the Bangladesh Center for Workers’ Solidarity and again vowed that from this point forward the factory would try its best to strictly adhere to all of Bangladesh’s labour laws. That same week the factory was cleaned and the walls whitewashed and painted. The bathrooms were cleaned, and toilet paper and soap have been provided. New wash basins have been installed outside the bathrooms so the workers can wash their hands and faces after their shifts. Filters have been installed to purify the water, so the workers now have safe water to drink. There is more space now and the factory is no longer cramped and over-crowded. New lighting and fans have also been installed. Workers now describe the factory as well-ventilated. Workers are now receiving one day off a week and the factory was closed on Friday, November 1, the Muslim weekly holiday. In October, the workers also received two days off for religious holidays which would have been unheard of in the past. Previously workers had to eat their lunch on the roof, sitting on the dirty concrete, with no protection from the elements, be it rain or glaring sun. Now a small covered dining area has been set up, with a table which can seat 30 to 40 workers at a time and fans have been installed. Disney’s Code of Conduct has suddenly been posted on the wall in Bengali. Shah Makhdum has set aside a room for a daycare center complete with toys. However, no children have been allowed to use it yet. According to the workers, conditions at the Shah Makhdum factory are now “better than average.” There is still more that needs to be done like reviewing wages and implementing the annual wage increase but sufficient changes have been made so that the workers are “somewhat satisfied.” Now it is up to Disney to act. The Shah Makhdum factory is in much better shape than at any time in the last eight years. But it is Disney’s turn to do the right thing. The campaign will go forward until Disney returns its work to the factory and finally respects the rights of these brave women.
Conditions at Shah Makhdum are vastly improved: beatings and
abuse end! An extraordinary meeting took place the week of October 21, when Shah Makhdum’s owner Bikkis Jahan called all 325 workers together and apologised to them for past abuses and harsh treatment. He then instructed the supervisors to immediately stop hitting, cursing at and threatening the workers.The owner vowed that such cruel treatment will no longer be tolerated. According to the workers, treatment by management has much improved. Shah Makhdum’s director met with the Bangladesh Center for Workers’ Solidarity and again vowed that from this point forward the factory would try its best to strictly adhere to all of Bangladesh’s labour laws. That same week the factory was cleaned and the walls whitewashed and painted. The bathrooms were cleaned, and toilet paper and soap have been provided. New wash basins have been installed outside the bathrooms so the workers can wash their hands and faces after their shifts. Filters have been installed to purify the water, so the workers now have safe water to drink. There is more space now and the factory is no longer cramped and over-crowded. New lighting and fans have also been installed. Workers now describe the factory as well-ventilated. Workers are now receiving one day off a week and the factory was closed on Friday, November 1, the Muslim weekly holiday. In October, the workers also received two days off for religious holidays which would have been unheard of in the past. Previously workers had to eat their lunch on the roof, sitting on the dirty concrete, with no protection from the elements, be it rain or glaring sun. Now a small covered dining area has been set up, with a table which can seat 30 to 40 workers at a time and fans have been installed. Disney’s Code of Conduct has suddenly been posted on the wall in Bengali. Shah Makhdum has set aside a room for a daycare center complete with toys. However, no children have been allowed to use it yet. According to the workers, conditions at the Shah Makhdum factory are now “better than average.” There is still more that needs to be done like reviewing wages and implementing the annual wage increase but sufficient changes have been made so that the workers are “somewhat satisfied.” Now it is up to Disney to act. The Shah Makhdum factory is in much better shape than at any time in the last eight years. But it is Disney’s turn to do the right thing. The campaign will go forward until Disney returns its work to the factory and finally respects the rights of these brave women.
