Factory Fire In Pakistan

Thre is a massive tragedy here, but as the dust and the flames die down, let us hope that the western companies using this facility to supply cheap goods are named and made publicly accountable.

This not because it is wrong to buy cheaply, but because it is unforgiveable not to control the supply chain and ensure basic, humane safety standards.

Well said, johnb.

I dread to think how many employers are flouting the health and safety laws here.

But you CAN influence the conditions.

If you thoroughly vet the facilities of the companies you buy from and insist - as a condition or order placement - that correct processes and practices are in place, otherise the contracts are not placed, then there is every chance that there will be improvement.

This does open the question of whether it is in the long run cheaper to buy from contries and sources where such things are controlled by national statute rather than customer audit and pressure, but that is a very hard debate indeed.

johnb wrote:But you CAN influence the conditions.

If you thoroughly vet the facilities of the companies you buy from and insist - as a condition or order placement - that correct processes and practices are in place, otherise the contracts are not placed, then there is every chance that there will be improvement.

This does open the question of whether it is in the long run cheaper to buy from contries and sources where such things are controlled by national statute rather than customer audit and pressure, but that is a very hard debate indeed.

No JohnB you can't. The only people who will influence the conditions they work in will be the people themselves, just as they did in this country - eventually. Companies buying abroad have to 'work' in the real world, knowing full well that 'others' will benefit and take their business by fair means or foul should they for one second become uncompetative by price or quality or supply. No 'one' company has the monopoly on foreign goods to the extent it can 'insist' on 'conditions' such as of what you and some others speak. It happens in almost every commercial enterprise this country deals in. Thought recently how much pain and anguish went in to that gold wedding ring or that diamond broach from the poor wretch who had to hack it from the bowels of the earth for a couple of dollars a day?
As for the debate of cheaper from national statute or customer pressure. No contest. They are both as bad as each other.

A terrible tragedy. R.I.P to all the victims.

I hope that those responsible for the poor state of the factory receive jail sentences that reflect their failure to provide adequate safety for the workers. Mind you of course, it depends if any laws have been broken.

The Pakistani workers' only hope is getting together and fighting for rights, like British workers had to do. Maybe then the government will force higher safety standards like what happened here. The bosses don't put money into things like decent wages or safety at work unless forced to.

If any good is to come out of this awful tragedy, then it is the building of Trade Unions and other movements fighting for decent working conditions. We all will end up having to pay more for our goods-if that's the case it will be worth it, so long as the extra we pay is going towards worker's wages and working conditions.

Of course I for one would like to be able to afford British made stuff, preferably stuff made locally, but for that people need more money in their pockets, and there has to be investment into the industry. Bit of a chicken and egg situation though really.

Considering many kids in India spend half their lives rooting through rubbish tips full of human waste and dangerous and sharp objects. I can't see those who do have actual jobs gaining much in the way of safety standards in the very near future, and nor will they spend much time campaigning over it. Most are just glad of the work, if they started kicking up a fuss, they will be the first out the door.

maybe they should start up 'friendly societies'?

It's surprising how low workers rights are over here, a family member of mine was up a ladder last month when it broke and she damaged her back, she daren't complain as she knows she'd be out of work like those before her. Despite her being there over 30 years.

No need to go so far as Pakistan to find such reckless disregard for fire safety. Speaking to the owner, who had a family living in the cellar at his takeaway in Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, with a number of high temperature fat-fryers, no fire doors, no effective alarms, and overloaded electric sockets, the judge said "If a fire had broken out, they were doomed. There was absolutely no way they could have got out."