Matalan: Guide for event at your local store

It’s simple to go along to your local Matalan store this Saturday, and this guide will give you all the information and print-outs you should need.

There won’t be a member of the 38 Degrees staff team at your local event, but there will be other 38 Degrees members. You can check on the events page you signed up to for how many people are expected.

Together, hundreds of 38 Degrees members putting pressure on Matalan across the country can push Matalan to say how much they’re going to pay to victims of the Rana Plaza disaster.

Top tips for joining other 38 Degrees members at your nearest Matalan store

What to take with you

• Leaflets to hand out (download here)
• Your letter to the store manager (download here)
• Any posters or placards you’d like to make and take (some ideas here)
• The contact details of any local press you’ve invited along

Click the links below for copies of the leaflet, letter to store managers, and poster ideas:

LEAFLETS

LETTER TO STORE MANAGER

posters

On the day: handing out your leaflets

Try to find a prominent place in front of or near the Matalan store where you’re leafleting. Gather together with other 38 Degrees members who have come along.

Depending on where the Matalan store is located you should be able to leaflet in front of it. You are well within your rights to do this: if staff or security ask you to leave just remember you have every right to be there! There’s no need to leave, but do remember to be polite.

If the store is inside a shopping centre then remember that you are on private property. If you’re not able to leaflet in front of the store itself you can always stand in front of the shopping centre.

If you want to hand out leaflets inside the store you may be asked to leave by staff or security. It’s probably best to leave if asked to do so. Make sure you hand in your letter to the store manager first though!

Speaking to Matalan customers and staff

The main point to remember is to be polite when speaking to customers and staff. Take the time to explain the campaign to them and you’ll probably find that they agree with you.

Before hand: Promoting your event

Now that you’ve signed up to go along to the local event, you could help make it a big event by sharing it with your friends, family and colleagues!

If you’re on Twitter and Facebook, you can use the share buttons on the events page to post it on your wall and to tweet about the event. And once you’ve shared it, why not ask friends and family to do the same?

If you don’t use social media why not email friends and family instead? Are there any local groups who might be interested who you could get in touch with?

Local media

It’s worth getting in touch with your local paper or radio stations about the event in case they want to come down on the day. Make sure they know when and where it’s happening, and who to contact for more information.

Key facts about the campaign

Matalan: tell us how much you have paid into the official Rana Plaza Compensation Trust Fund for victims of the Rana Plaza disaster.

The call is backed by:

• Over 103,000 signatories on the 38 Degrees petition
• 10,157 members of the public on Twitter
• 13,607 members of the public on Facebook
• UNI Global Union
• Labour Behind the Label
• And Government ministers from seven European countries including the UK, France, Germany and Italy

RanaPlaza
When the Rana Plaza Factory Complex collapsed in April 2013, at least 1,129 workers died and over 2,515 were injured. Matalan were among the companies to source clothing from New Wave – a factory based inside the Rana Plaza building.

It’s good news for people power that Matalan has agreed to pay into the official compensation fund – after thousands of people pushed them to pay up this week. But tens of thousands of people are still waiting to hear whether Matalan has paid a fair amount – or whether this is just a throwaway payment designed to shut down the debate.

Let’s not forget the issue at the heart of this: the responsibility Matalan has to the thousands of people killed or devastatingly injured in the same factory that made its clothes.

Matalan need to say how much they have paid into the official compensation fund.

Talking points
• Have you ever shopped at Matalan? If you have make sure to say so to the store manager.
• What does this make you think about Matalan as a business that says it’s family-friendly?
• Matalan’s competitor Primark has said how much it has donated to the official fund – £9 million. Why won’t Matalan say too?

Who else has paid?
All other culpable major UK retailers have paid, including H&M, Primark, Debenhams and Asda.

You can print out this information to take with you on the day by clicking here.