There have been new disturbing details to emerge about the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh that has killed at least 200 people. Though, with hundreds still missing, that death toll may rise. It’s being reported that the owner of the factory ignored orders by police to shut down the building after they deemed it unsafe, and that the top four floors were built illegally without any permits. The day before the collapse, large cracks appeared, that sent workers fleeing the structure and even made the local news.
But when employees showed up the next morning, unsure if the building was safe to enter, factory bosses with megaphones told them their pay would be docked if they did not return to work. One worker who was injured in the collapse told reporters, “None of us wanted to go in. The bosses came after us with beating sticks. In the end we were forced to go in.” The factory’s owner hasn’t been seen since the tragedy. Today thousands of garment workers took to the streets to protest the industry’s poor working conditions in the country where many work 12-hour shifts for up to 30 days a month. Minimum wage in the region is just $37 a month …
