In the News

Customs Cracks Down on Imports Made by Forced Labor

WWD
03/30/2016

The U.S. Department of Labor releases an annual list of products made by forced or child labor, as well as another watch list on child labor, in which a number of major apparel-producing countries, including Bangladesh, China and Vietnam, have been cited for the practice in industries including apparel, textile and footwear manufacturing, and cotton production and gem and metal mining.

US Labor Department Report Raises Concerns About Peru’s Textile and Apparel Industries

Sourcing Journal
03/23/2016

Last summer’s submission—filed by the International Labor Rights Forum, Perú Equidad and seven Peruvian workers’ organizations—accused the government of failing to enforce its labor laws effectively. It also said that Peru’s law governing employment contracts for NTEs is incompatible with freedom of association and cited specific instances to support its allegation.

US confirms labour concerns in Peru apparel sector

just-style
03/22/2016

A US Department of Labour report has raised significant concerns about workers' rights and labour law enforcement in Peru's textile and apparel sectors - leading to new questions regarding the labour rights record of a key member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)....

It responds to claims filed by the International Labor Rights Forum, Perú Equidad and seven Peruvian worker rights organizations that allege Peru's law governing employment contracts for non-traditional export (NTE) sectors (which include agricultural products) is incompatible with freedom of association.

ICYMI: Labor Department Raises Concerns Over Peru Labor Law

Politico
03/21/2016

The Labor Department is raising significant concerns about the ability of Peruvian textile, apparel and agricultural workers to freely organize in a report released Friday. The report is a response to a complaint filed last year by Peruvian labor unions, which have accused their government of failing to comply with labor standards established under a 2009 trade agreement with the United States.

EE.UU. denuncia prácticas antisindicales en sector exportador peruano

Gestión
03/18/2016

Ese escenario “alienta a las empresas que buscan socavar las libertad de asociación a no renovar los contratos cortos a los trabajadores que intentan formar o participar de un sindicato”, indicó el Departamento de Trabajo de EE.UU., tras revisar una denuncia presentada en julio de 2015 por el International Labor Rights Forum y varias organizaciones sindicales y de derechos humanos peruanas.

US Lawmakers Demand Effective Protection of Honduran Activists

Telesur
03/16/2016
While the state often fails to offer police protection to activists who have received threats, the “widely documented” corruption of police officers in Honduras discard police protection as a viable option, they highlight.
 
Activists even reject police protection themselves in some cases, like Nelson Geovanni Nuñez Chavez, of the Federation of Agro-Industrial Workers. Congress members suggested the U.S. embassy provide funding for private protection for Nuñez, as well as Tomas Membreño, a fellow activist at FESTAGRO.

Is Trump’s Modeling Agency Flouting Immigration and Employment Agency Law?

OnLabor.org
03/15/2016

If Trump’s candidacy for President does nothing else to benefit society, perhaps it will shine a much-needed spotlight on the exploitative practices of the modeling industry, which has long escaped regulation and relies heavily on young, female, and mostly migrant labor.  Legislation that explicitly brings modeling agencies under existing employment agency laws and regulations could help ensure that modeling agencies, like Trump’s, are appropriately regulated.

Fyffes PLC: Labour violations and Union member intimidation in Costa Rica and Honduras

Facing Finance
03/14/2016

In one case “14 workers on a melon plantation, which is 60%-owned by Fyffes’ subsidiary Suragroh were allegedly hospitalised after being poisoned by noxious chemicals.” The International Labour Rights Forum reports that 150 workers became sick as they were not provided with the necessary safety equipment. This is not the first time that Suragroh has violated labour rights.

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