Bangladesh Apparel Factory Fire Reveals Big Brands’ Shadowy Supply Chains

By John Chalmers and Serajul Quadir | December 7, 2012

  • December 7, 2012 at 4:24 pm
    CB says:
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    I am really tired of hearing many imply that Wal-Mart and other customers of this factory are to blame for the fire and subsequent deaths of the workers. While it is a horrible tragedy, the customer rarely has any control over what the manufacturer’s safety practices – or lack thereof – are. I certainly had no say in how my Hyundai was built or anything else I buy other than to say it with my dollar by not buying it if something about the company made me opposed tothem. Wal-Mart has become the largest retailer because people buy what the sell. Why? Because people want to pay the lowest price possible! Do you think Wal-Mart could sell its products at such low prices if all they carried were American made products? Heck no! The only way these sorts of tragedies can be prevented is if people stop buying the foreign made goods or the foreign manufacturers are forced to pay their workers more and implement safety controls — both of which will cost a lot of money and drive prices up. I guess maybe the unions should go to Bangladesh and ruin many of their industries like they have ours in the US. Then again, if they did that, another ambitious party in a poor third-world country would fill the void.

    Bottom line – if you don’t want to buy clothing made in sweatshops, read the labels. The dollar speaks louder than any words.

    • December 10, 2012 at 4:19 pm
      JB says:
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      “…or the foreign manufacturers are forced to pay their workers more and implement safety controls — both of which will cost a lot of money and drive prices up. I guess maybe the unions should go to Bangladesh and ruin many of their industries like they have ours in the US.”

      Implementing safety controls does increase the cost of production, however the increase is well worth it if it decreases the chance of people suffering major injuries or even death while trying to earn a living. Unions provide a GREAT service by demanding reasonable worker safety controls in otherwise hazardous work environments.



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