AAFA and FLA call for defense of the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Credits: AAFA In a joint letter to the newly confirmed United States Secretary of Labor, The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) both offer congratulations and a firm call to fully preserve and promote the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) and its programs to defend workers. On behalf of the hundreds of American brands and retailers represented by the two associations, the letter states, "As part of your longstanding dedication to protecting American workers, we urge you to fully preserve and promote the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) ... ILAB works to build institutions in countries around the world so that they can effectively protect their workers, raising labor standards, including eliminating child labor and forced labor and promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining. ILAB provides training to workers so they know their rights and how to defend them. ILAB deploys labor attachés to U.S. embassies in key countries to provide real time intelligence, contacts, and solutions to promote and protect workers. ILAB enforces the labor provisions in trade agreements to ensure a level playing field for American workers. And finally, ILAB is a critical funder and manager of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Better Work program, which establishes strong labor enforcement and transparency in key countries around the world.” The groups extoll the virtues of ILAB’s extensive work under the U.S./Mexico/Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the U.S./Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), promotes the success of these agreements, which require the use of U.S.-made textiles. "ILAB's work is essential to support a level playing field for American workers. While the vast majority of clothes, shoes, and accessories sold in the United States are imported, our industry directly employs 3.5 million American workers in good-paying jobs, in design, R&D, compliance, marketing, retail, and, yes, manufacturing," said Steve Lamar, AAFA president and CEO. “By promoting labor rights in sourcing countries, ILAB helps protect American workers,” said Jeff Vockrodt, president and CEO of the Fair Labor Association. “When labor standards are high across supply chains, companies, workers, and consumers reap the benefit. ILAB is a key part of these effective supply chains.”
In a joint letter to the newly confirmed United States Secretary of Labor, The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) both offer congratulations and a firm call to fully preserve and promote the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) and its programs to defend workers.
On behalf of the hundreds of American brands and retailers represented by the two associations, the letter states, "As part of your longstanding dedication to protecting American workers, we urge you to fully preserve and promote the Department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) ... ILAB works to build institutions in countries around the world so that they can effectively protect their workers, raising labor standards, including eliminating child labor and forced labor and promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining. ILAB provides training to workers so they know their rights and how to defend them. ILAB deploys labor attachés to U.S. embassies in key countries to provide real time intelligence, contacts, and solutions to promote and protect workers. ILAB enforces the labor provisions in trade agreements to ensure a level playing field for American workers. And finally, ILAB is a critical funder and manager of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Better Work program, which establishes strong labor enforcement and transparency in key countries around the world.”
The groups extoll the virtues of ILAB’s extensive work under the U.S./Mexico/Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the U.S./Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), promotes the success of these agreements, which require the use of U.S.-made textiles.
"ILAB's work is essential to support a level playing field for American workers. While the vast majority of clothes, shoes, and accessories sold in the United States are imported, our industry directly employs 3.5 million American workers in good-paying jobs, in design, R&D, compliance, marketing, retail, and, yes, manufacturing," said Steve Lamar, AAFA president and CEO.
“By promoting labor rights in sourcing countries, ILAB helps protect American workers,” said Jeff Vockrodt, president and CEO of the Fair Labor Association. “When labor standards are high across supply chains, companies, workers, and consumers reap the benefit. ILAB is a key part of these effective supply chains.”
