UNI General Secretary part of historic labour delegation to Bangladesh 

UNI Global Union General Secretary Christy Hoffman joined a delegation to Bangladesh, organized by the U.S. State Department and Department of Labor, to impress upon the new interim government that now is the time to address some urgent shortfalls in conditions for garment workers.   

These issues include wages, which are too low; great difficulties in registering a union; and blacklisting and criminal charges against workers and activists – all not a recipe for a stable democracy or fair economic conditions.  

Hoffman said, “Just as Rana Plaza forced the country to take on the challenge of safe factories, this moment could be an opportunity for deep change.  We urge Bangladesh to choose ‘high road’ development and to reject a race to the bottom.”     

Along with Scott Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium, Hoffman served as a labour expert on the visit, led by State Department Special Representative Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez and Department of Labor Deputy Undersecretary Thea Lee.  

Senior leadership from Gap Inc., PVH Corp., and VF Corporation also participated. These American brands collectively purchase approximately US$1.8 billion dollars annually from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector. 

The delegation comes at a unique moment for democracy and governance in the South Asian nation of 173 million. A student-led movement pushed out the country’s previous government, and an interim government, led by economist Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, took over the country’s reins on 8 August.   

The group met with key industry and political leaders in Bangladesh, including Chief Advisor Yunus, to stress the importance of transforming the labour relations landscape of Bangladesh.   

“We want to make our labour laws on par with global standards. It is my commitment,” Yunus told the delegation.  

A statement on the State Department’s website reads: “The United States welcomes Chief Advisor Yunus’s assurances that labour reforms are a top priority of the Interim Government. We support Bangladesh further strengthening the right of workers to form and join independent trade unions, and to collectively bargain for better working conditions.” 

UNI is a signatory of the International Accord, previously known as the Bangladesh Accord, which has made the RMG industry safer and saved countless lives. 

“I am thrilled to have taken part in this historic delegation, and we look forward to working with Chief Advisor Yunus,” said UNI’s Hoffman. “The ability to form a union and collectively bargain is foundational to deepening democracy, and the global union movement will support any efforts to strengthen labour laws and improve conditions in the country.”