House Democrats Question Companies Importing From Haiti on Payroll Requirements
Fifteen Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee are asking executives at 62 U.S. companies that import clothing from Haiti to ask their suppliers if they are complying with health insurance and social security contribution requirements. The letter --…
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led by Reps. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey and Terri Sewell of Alabama and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, and released to the public Nov. 8 -- says that independent reports found that 84% of factories are not making the required contributions, and some workers have died because they did not have insurance when they fell ill. "We write to you because your companies benefit from those trade programs and rely on Haitian employers and garment workers to create your products, and thus, you have a vested interest in and unique opportunity to help improve and strengthen U.S.-Haiti garment supply chains. As you know, U.S. trade policies have increasingly prioritized collaboration across supply chains to improve labor standards," they said. They asked executives to respond to the letter by Dec. 1. The companies included Calvin Klein, Carters, Cintas, Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Jockey, Li & Fung, Reebok, Target and Walmart.