After the building collapse in Bangladesh in April that killed nearly 1,100 people, retail gaint Wal-Mart said they would begin to audit their buildings in order to keep them up to safety code in an attempt to turn their horrible PR around. Personally, I am disgusted by the behaviour that Wal-Mart is portraying, and many other giants have before. It shouldn’t take public shaming to make a multi-billion dollar company provide it’s employees with basic human rights, such as the right to safety. What is even more shocking is the fact that in Wal-Mart’s first audit, about ten of more than six dozen buildings failed the inspections.

Although large corporations such as Wal-Mart are able to provide us with goods for so cheap, the cost of doing so is others basic human rights, and in some cases, their lives. Large transnationals cannot continue to get away with making such extreme violations towards their fellow man. Unfortunately, the working class doesn’t even have the government on their side, as their own safety is taking a backseat in order to fulfill orders and quotas. Additionally, the corruption is the government is widespread and will continue to grow as long as there is very little in the way of government resources.

Not quite.

References:

http://news.yahoo.com/wal-mart-bangladesh-factories-failed-audits-035042694–finance.html

http://www.takefiveaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/wmrainbow.jpg

http://en.maquilasolidarity.org/node/1148