Statement of UNI Europa affiliated unions at the Auchan EWC meeting that urges Auchan to pay compensation to victims in Bangladesh

At its meeting on 15 November, Auchan UNI EWC members expressed their indignation at Auchan empty chair policy that the company has been practising during the negotiations on compensation. The group point to the contradiction whereby the Auchan group acknowledges its responsibility when it comes to fire safety and building safety but at the same time does not want to play a part in compensating victims, which is the logical follow-up to the first Fire and Building Safety Accord.

The EWC members that signed the declaration insist on the fact that UNI, the recognised representative in these negotiations and the main interlocutor, should be present in this EWC body so as to provide the workers’ representatives with an equal and precise state of play of the situation. UNI affiliated Unions represented in the EWC asked on several occasions to invite UNI Europa to present the Bangladesh Accord that was signed between Auchan, UNI Global Union and IndustryALL in June 2013, including at its last plenary meeting last week but up to now, the company has refused to reply to their request. Since its creation, the Auchan management does not allow UNI Europa to participate to the meetings of the EWC. Despite several attempts to meet management representatives’, the company has closed any possible dialogue with UNI Europa.