GAP Cambridge shut in shame on 1st Anniversary of Rana Plaza Collapse
GAP and GAP Kids shops were shut in shame in Cambridge yesterday as customers, workers and passers-by were reminded and informed about the 1st anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster where workers were mass murdered by the company’s practices. Most customers took flyers and were interested to know that GAP are still refusing to sign the Bangladesh Safety Accord preferring to create a sham safety alliance themselves. Some customers also signed the letter calling on the GAP CEO to sign the accord and to recognise all workers unions.

When the manager of GAP was given a flyer she at first refused to discuss the issue at all or to pass the letter on to her superiors but did eventually agree to let them know of customers views. CLASS was then asked to leave GAP and did so, but flyers and conversations with customers continued directly outside the shops on the pavement. Anyone going in or out of the shop was approached and the vast majority were interested to hear about what had happened at Rana Plaza and subsequently.
It wasn’t long until the sale signs were taken into the shops and the doors were locked. CLASS continued to talk to passers-by as well as people trying to get into GAP, only to be told it was shut, and those customers now being let out one by one from the shop. Some also signed the letter and the shop manager was good enough to take a few when asked to by knocking on the shop windows. After the first time however she said that the shop was now shut, the staff were going home and so further signed flyers could be left under the door.

A few people who signed flyers said that they would return the next day to give them to shop staff themselves. Anyone in Cambridge is very welcome to print out the flyer, sign it and hand it in to the manager at the shop on Market Street. A big thank you to those who do so. CLASS will also return to GAP to continue this dialogue in the future.

This action, on the 1st anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, was carried out by the Cambridge Lettrist And Situationist Society (CLASS) in solidarity with global actions called for by Labour Safety Forum Bangladesh, Clean Clothes Campaign and War on Want. CLASS is a Communist (dis)organisation consisting of one member and part of the psychic workers union DAMTP. All in all the action, inside and outside GAP and GAP Kids, lasted about 30 minutes.