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Joe Fresh faces class action over Bangladesh disaster

Just when Joe Fresh thought it had salvaged its reputation from the wreckage of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, workers there have filed a $2 billion class action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

The action, spearheaded by a Toronto-based law firm, alleges Loblaw Companies Limited, Loblaws Inc. and Joe Fresh Canada knew that Bangladesh had a history of unsafe working conditions but failed to conduct proper inspections and audits in Rana Plaza. 

Lawyer Joel Rochon says the class action is seeking to hold the Ontario-based companies legally responsible for the injuries and deaths of workers “who were employed in extraordinarily unsafe working conditions.

“When Canadian companies contract out manufacturing to take advantage of extremely low wages, they must ensure that the working conditions for those employees are safe.”

Some 1,130 people were killed and more than 2,510 seriously injured in the factory collapse, many of them permanently disabled.

Loblaw has said that it’s contributed “more than its share,” noting that it has spent $5 million on relief and compensation commitments and is the only Canadian clothing company to have signed the Accord for Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

Maquila Solidarity Network’s Bob Jeffcott acknowledges that Loblaw has “done more than most companies linked to Rana Plaza to compensate the survivors.” However, he adds, “the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund only provides compensation for lost income and medical expenses and doesn’t offer anything for the pain and suffering of seriously injured workers and the families of those killed.” 

HBO comedian John Oliver agrees Loblaw/Joe Fresh could do more. Last week he sent Joe Fresh’s new creative director, Mario Grauso, a platter of cheap meat dumplings, saying he wasn’t really sure where they were made or under what conditions.

Dodgy meals were also sent by Oliver to the heads of H&M, the Children’s Place, Gap and Walmart. Walmart, Children’s Place and J.C. Penney are facing Rana Plaza class actions of their own south of the border. 

ecoholic@nowtoronto.com | @ecoholicnation

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