Jenny Smith / 28 November 2024 / Categories: Opinions, Bodies & Groups, Charities, Professional Organisations

Labour Behind The Label

40,000 Bangladeshi workers face threat of prosecution

A week or so ago I saw this post on Instagram sent to me by a friend. We both spend more money in Next than we should and I think she was thinking what’s this all about and sent it on to me.

It’s basically a protest that is going on in Bangladesh where thousands of workers are being prosecuted for protesting against unfair wages and working conditions back in 2023.

The Bangladeshi workers managed to get their cry for help onto thousands of garments destined for the UK, and into the hands of fellow workers at Next, H and M, Primark and Matalan.

This was on the 19th November and I’ve been watching the press since to see which paper would pick it up.

It’s gone completely dead.

I cannot even find mentioned of it in the Guardian.

So I have a question for the boss of Next, Simon Wolfson. What is this all about and what are Next doing to sort it out and help the factory workers who are making their stock.

As a long standing customer of Next and my Mum before me. And her Mum, my gran, now passed, a great fan of the Next name and brand, I want to say we are not comfortable shopping with any company that isn’t engaged with their work force.

When I think of all the trouble those people half way across the world went to get their message and plight out, how terrible their predicament must be.

I cannot go and enjoy my Christmas shopping with the same verve and gusto. It’s just not possible. All I can think about is this label effectively saying “Help Us”