According to the BBC, at least 25 people have been killed in a fire in a clothing factory near the capital city of Dhaka.  (Why is it you rarely hear about these stories in the American media?) 

From the article:

All of them died either jumping from the 10th floor of the building or while trying to climb down to escape the fire.

And

Police sub-inspector Mostofa Chowdhury told the AFP agency that some workers had complained that emergency exits from the building were locked.

The similarities to the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire are eerily disturbing, but entirely predictable.  The labor movement in the United States put an end to the most egregious abuses perpetrated on workers (but even here we are seeing workers' rights eroded every day).  However, NAFTA allowed U.S. companies to simply ship barbaric labor practices overseas.

According to an article in the CBC News:

In the first increase since 2006, the government in July raised the official minimum wage to roughly $42 a month from about $23. The new pay structure took effect in November, but workers say many factories haven't implemented it yet.

Normally, a pay increase of nearly 100% would be something to cheer about.  But $43 a month still qualifies as criminal in my book.

Of course, since I am in the habit of wearing clothes, and most of the labels in my closet say "Made in China" or "Made in Pakistan" or "Made in Honduras", I'm not being sanctimonious here.  The American consumer has been left (by its corporate-owned government) with little choice but to become an accomplice in this race to the bottom.

See my previous blog about the HBO documentary Schmatta:  Rags to Riches to Rags for more information.