Elected
Officials, Bangladeshi Community to Hold Memorial
for 112 Workers Killed in Fire
at Garment Factory in Bangladesh
Group will show
solidarity with workers
of neighboring supermarket fighting for better wages
and
working conditions by protesting outside of store
WHAT
Memorial for 112 workers killed in fire at garment factory in Bangladesh and
protest of working conditions at Golden Farm Supermarket in
Brooklyn
WHO:
Bangladeshi community leaders and members
Councilmember Brad Lander
Elected officials
United NY
Golden Farm Supermarket workers
Community members
WHEN:
Saturday, December 15 at 5:30 PM
WHERE:
Corner of McDonald Avenue and Church Avenue, Kensington,
Brooklyn
WHY:
Last month, 112 workers were killed in a fire at a Bangladeshi garment factory
that exposed the poor working conditions of foreign low-wage workers making
garments for brand name American companies that supplied goods to Walmart. It
was later exposed that Walmart blocked efforts to make retailers pay more for
the garments in order to improve electrical and fire safety in the
factories.
Brooklyn community members have been boycotting
Kensington’s Golden Farm Supermarket, another
low-wage employer. Workers at the grocery store have reported being paid as
little as $4.62 an hour, for working 72 hours a week. The boycott began in
July, following the death of store employee Felix Trinidad, who succumbed to
cancer, after being unable to take time off to see a
doctor.
Low-wage workers in NYC are uniting to fight back against economic
exploitation, with fast food workers being the latest to join airport,
car wash and supermarket workers in organizing for better pay and respect on the
job.
-----from the office of City Councilmember Brad Lander
-----from the office of City Councilmember Brad Lander