Friday, April 26, 2013

Applying a Bandaid to a Deep, Long Gash


Western Firms Feel Pressure as Toll Rises in Bangladesh. (The New York Times, 4/25/2013)

Excerpt: Walmart has refused to join that effort.  [a plan among Western retailers to finance fire safety efforts and structural upgrades in Bangladeshi factories].   But, in January, it announced that it would demand that factories quickly correct any safety violations and would dismiss any contractor that uses unapproved or unsafe factories. Two weeks ago, Walmart pledged $1.8 million to establish a health and safety institute in Bangladesh to train 2,000 factory managers about fire safety.  [Emphasis added.]

Walmart is assuming that these types of fires are sure to happen again?

What about a bigger picture?

What about creating a healthy and safe work environment?

What about paying workers a living wage?

According to this website, Walmart made a profit of $34,880 every minute in 2012.  Let's see, that makes $1,800,000 a 52-minute accumulation.



Related post:
The price to pay for those always low prices.  (4/25/2013)

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