Changing workers' lives

AS we all know too well, April 24 is a day that changed Bangladesh forever. The women and men who lost their lives or suffered devastating injuries at Rana Plaza one year ago today were doing what so many dream of doing -- they were earning a living and securing a brighter future for themselves and their families.  That this dream turned to a nightmare for so many makes the story all the more tragic.
The collapse at Rana Plaza was not the first deadly accident to befall our garment industry, to be sure. But its devastating toll ignited an outcry that paved the way for change -- and the result has been an unprecedented effort to improve safety in our factories on a massive scale and an urgent timeline.
We are proud to be part of one group leading this effort, the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety -- a coalition of 26 North American apparel companies bringing their collective power to bear to ensure that no one has to put her life at risk to earn a living. Together, the Alliance and our partners have achieved incredible and unprecedented successes in just one year.  
If you're an employee in an Alliance factory, how is your life different today as a result?
First, your workplace is being held to a new standard of safety.  
Together with partners in government, business and civil society, we have finalised a rigorous set of guidelines against which your factories are now strictly evaluated. For the first time, this standard includes requirements for fire, electrical and structural safety -- requirements that go beyond those set forth in our National Building Code.
Second, your opinion and engagement is being actively sought.
In December, we conducted the largest survey ever of factory workers -- more than 3,200 participants in all -- and coupled that with management-free small group discussions to ensure that opinions could flow freely and that key nuances were not missed. And we made some important discoveries. More than half of workers surveyed told us they felt unable to escape quickly in case of emergency, and we learned that women and night shift workers have historically been neglected when it comes to provision of safety training. These findings, among others, are now guiding our work.
Third, you're benefiting from a new training curriculum tailored specifically to meet your needs.
Together with Bangladeshi safety and training experts, we've developed the Alliance Foundational Course Curriculum, a comprehensive and easily adopted training programme designed to ensure that every worker on the factory floor understands how to prevent accidents, can protect themselves in case of an emergency, and knows her rights. We've trained 400,000 factory employees to date -- and we're on track to reach more than one million by July.
Fourth, you've got help if you need it.  
This month, we've begun the rollout of a helpline that will soon be available to workers throughout our factories. This resource allows workers to bypass factory management to ask questions, seek information and report safety concerns immediately, confidentially and without fear of retaliation.
Fifth, your right to organise is respected.
Workers are the heartbeat of this entire industry. The Alliance supports and encourages the democratic election of worker representatives to ensure that your voice is well represented, whether through a safety committee, a worker participation committee or even a trade union, dozens of which have begun to form in Alliance factories.
Sixth, you're protected if your factory needs to be closed for repair.
To date, we've inspected more than 350 factories -- and while the repairs many require to be in compliance with the new standard don't pose immediate safety concerns and will allow you to go to work as usual, some factories will have to be closed while important repairs are made. If you're an employee in a factory where imminent safety concerns exist, you will be made aware immediately -- and the Alliance will help cover your salary while your factory is closed.
And finally -- you can feel national pride in this revolution.
Ours is an industry that has traditionally been a source of pride, accounting for 80% of Bangladesh's total export earnings, serving as a vital source of economic security and upward mobility for women and driving a global supply chain that fuels economies all over the world.
As such, we believe it's critical that this effort be owned from within -- and the Alliance has ensured that as change is undertaken, Bangladeshis are in the driver's seat. Our Dhaka staff, safety experts, building engineers and trainers, as well as several key figures on our global Board of Advisors, are the very best experts our country has to offer. Their leadership ensures that we are all taking the lead in our own success, and that improvements can be sustained long after the global spotlight begins to fade.
Today is a day of remembrance for all of us -- yet one that also must serve as a defining moment, not just looking back but looking ahead. One year from now, we hope Bangladesh will commemorate April 24 by embracing its newfound role as a global leader on worker safety. Those working every day on the factory floor -- and our loved ones who lost their lives one year ago today -- deserve nothing less.

The writers are, respectively, Independent Chair of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, and Managing Director, Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

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