Wuppertal, 8th march 2019
Does murder prescribe?
In the beginning of the year, the federal court of Dortmund decided to not having to judge the death of 258 people in a textile factory in Pakistan in the year of 2012 due to prescription according to Pakistani law. This factory was mainly producing for the german textile-discounter kik.The working conditions in countries such as Pakistan, India or China and Bangladesh can only be described as „murderous“. Fires and other accidents where numerous people die happen continuously. Everyday working conditions are as deadly: Wages from which nobody is able to afford living, hundreds of working hours per week, health problems due to e.g. toxic chemicals. It is mostly women* who work under these conditions. There are various fights against the murderous exploitation in the producing countries, for example with strikes. Meanwhile, the government reacts with harsh repression, for example recently in Bangladesh. Mass protests of striking workers were attacked by cops. The companies response to the demand to pay basic minimum wages was the dismissal of 7000 workers.
Textile industry workers in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China and Turkey mainly produce for the European and US-American market. Regarding kik, they produce for the European lower class who cannot afford more expensive brands. Even if the European lower class benefits from the global injustice, the struggles are similar here: exploitation and health-threatening working conditions in form of low wages and chemical pollution of textiles. The badly-paid workers of kik are equally mostly women*. Just one chance for a better future remains: global solidarity.
As a small act of solidarity we crashed the windows of a local kik-store in Wuppertal, colored it and painted the slogan „8.März! Zahlt“ (8. of March! Pay!) on the walls.
Let’s not release kik and the filthy rest of textile industry of their responsibility! Murder does not prescribe! Solidarity to the strikers in Bangladesh!
By the way: On 16th of April, primark, another mean textile-exploiter will open the new store in Wuppertal. Be part of protests and action against the opening.
Long live the 8th of March, long live the women*’s strike 2019. See you on the streets!
And: We should definitely smash it around this year’s first of May.
Source: Indymedia (Tor)