Matalan to be hit by demonstrators demanding justice for factory collapse victims

Hundreds of campaigners are expected to gather this Saturday at Matalan stores in Scotland.

The protestors are asking the cut-price retailer to pay proper compensation to the survivors of a fatal disaster in the factory that made some of its clothes.

Over 6,000 people in Scotland mounted a 38 Degrees campaign this week asking Matalan to donate to the official compensation fund for the victims of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh.

After thousands of calls, tweets and emails from the public, Matalan agreed to donate a secret sum of money to the official fund.

But local campaigners are now calling for the chain to reveal exactly how much it paid in.

They are set to visit stores in Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Until Matalan’s customers know how much it’s contributed, they’ll be wondering why Matalan wants to keep it a secret

David Babbs, executive director of 38 Degrees, which is coordinating the campaign, said: “This week, thousands of people in Scotland tweeted, called and emailed Matalan’s bosses to tell them to do the right thing by the people who died in the same factory that made its clothes.

“On Saturday, hundreds of people will take their message to the shop floor.

“It’s good news that Matalan has listened to the public and agreed to pay into the official compensation fund. But we’re all still waiting to see whether Matalan has paid up a decent amount of money to help the survivors of this tragedy to rebuild their lives.

“Until Matalan’s customers know how much it’s contributed, they’ll be wondering why Matalan wants to keep it a secret.”

More than 1,130 garment workers were killed in the Ranz Plaza disaster in Dhaka, crushed under eight stories of concrete.

Around 2,500 people were rescued from the building alive, but many suffered terrible injuries.