Trade Unions Shall Consolidate their Strenght, Unite the Working Class, Intensify Efforts to Increase the Minimum Wage Sufficient for Family Cost of Living and to Abolish Contracted Employment.

The Thai Rak Thai government has implemented policies to build up a monopolistic capitalist economy which exists solely to service the needs of transnational corporations under the free trade slogan of globalisation. A range of measures have been planned and implemented, most importantly including the privatisation of public enterprises which will eventually make them fall into the hands of monopolistic capitalists resulting in the rise of service� s prices and wage suppression. This will definitely lead to the suffering of people of all classes.

Please see the letter below and the information o­n this website. Do send letters of concern to Karmojibi Nari at [email protected] 

To

The President, Vice Presidents, Directors, Secretary and Members of the Board of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

BTMC Bhaban, 7-9 Karwan Bazar, Dhaka

Please find below additional information o­n conditions at Spectrum Sweater, the Bangladesh garment factory producing for major European brands including Zara, Carrefour and Karstadt Quelle, that collapsed April 11th, leading to the death and injury of hundreds of men and women. Also included below is news o­n the reaction of companies that were sourcing at the factory, as well as information o­n additional demands to be followed up o­n in relation to this terrible tragedy. It�s clear that efforts to push companies to take responsibility in this very serious case has had some effect but o­ngoing pressure will be needed to see that the demands voiced by workers and their organizations in Bangladesh will be met. Since the collapse of the factory o­n April 11th there have been several large-scale protests in Bangladesh to express outrage at the factory collapse in Savar and to draw attention to the need to follow-up o­n the numerous issues that require attention. More actions are planned for this week and in conjunction with May Day.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO COLLAPSE

In addition to the overtime violations reported o­n at the time of the collapse, reports from various sources say that Spectrum Sweater was in violation of many labor laws and code of conduct provisions prior to the collapse. These include numerous safety issues. If safety issues at this facility had been addressed in a thorough and timely fashion it might have been possible that the factory collapse could have been prevented and many lives not needlessly lost.

The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) strongly condemns the unprovoked attack and vandalism done by plainclothesmen deputed by the royal government inside the Party Headquarters at Balkhu in Kathmandu o­n April 25. The following misdeeds of the government security men under disguise have amply unmaskedthe undemocratic and dictatorial face of the unconstitutional royal government in Nepal.1. It is deplorable that the state security personnel in plainclothes wearing masks and wielding small arms broke into the Party Headquarters without any warrant immediately after the funeral procession of SadhanaAdhikari, the wife of late leader Man Mohan Adhikari. The CPN (UML) was mourning the death of imminent woman leader Sadhana Adhikari at the Party Headquarters. Her dead body was kept inside the Party premises for paying homage. Different party leaders and activists from different political parties were present to pay solemn tribute to her. The funeral procession was started at 1.30 PM and mourners joined it. Thus the whole party leaders and activists were mourning at the demise of their beloved women leader. o­n the contrary, the government security personnel attacked the youths and party activists who were present at the Party Headquarters to mourn the death of a woman leader. Thus the state security personnel grossly undermined humane treats under the direction of the royal government. 2. A gang of plainclothesmen, 25 in number and some of them were masked and carrying small arms, entered inside the Party Office and indiscriminately attacked various party activists at around 4 PM. Half adozen of the masked personnel went up to 4 th floor of the Party office chasing party members. Some of them entered in the library room and smashed a door of toilet suspecting o­ne of the wanted members to be inside the toilet. In fact another student leader named Jhapat Rawal was inside the toilet. The student leader was dragged out and brutally beaten. Similarly, another youth leader Narayan Basnet was manhandled inside the Party premises. They kicked the locked doors of the office of the Party General Secretary, Central Auditing Committee and Central Disciplinary Committee and threatened party members with revolvers. Thus the plainclothesmen continued their mischievous hooliganism for about 40 minutes inside the Party. They were apparently looking for some youth leader to arrest them. The plainclothesmen were carrying their surveillance of all mourners and visitors noting down car and motorbike numbers even when the people were paying their homage to late Mrs. Adhikari. Some of the visitors were arrested o­n the way.