The U.S. and Myanmar launched consultations to put a labor rights initiative into effect for the Southeast Asian nation by November, leaders from both countries said in a joint Aug. 28 statement. The initiative aims to create a “multi-year strategy for labor reform and capacity building,” the statement said. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said during separate remarks in Yangon, Myanmar the initiative will build off substantial progress in labor policy and practice already made in Myanmar . “Myanmar has made initial progress in the right direction on issues ranging from the right to organize to the use of forced labor, including children,” Froman said (here). “Over a thousand unions have registered and more are on their way.” The two countries traded more than $230 billion in goods and services in 2012, but much more progress can be made, added Froman.
Thirty retail industry, human rights and other advocacy organizations urged Obama administration officials in an Aug. 12 letter to ratchet up pressure to eliminate forced labor in the Uzbekistani cotton sector. The Uzbekistan government is poised to once again “coercively mobilize more than a million of their own citizens to pick cotton,” in the coming weeks as harvest season in the country begins, said the organizations, including the National Retail Federation and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. The administration officials should specifically pressure Uzbekistan to do the following:
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America announced on July 9 a new guide on acceptable practices at footwear factories. The “Footwear Production Code of Conduct” will help “clearly communicate and uphold the social norms and values commonly held by FDRA members,” said FDRA in its release (here). The code of conduct includes sections on working conditions, hours, wages and benefits, as well as business integrity, compliance with the law, and subcontracting.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce decision to send a business delegation to Cuba this week disregards ongoing labor abuses and overwhelming state financial control in the country, said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in a May 26 letter to Chamber President Thomas Donohue. The Cuban government has implemented only “cosmetic” changes to its economic policy in recent years as a means to attract “badly-needed foreign investment,” said Menendez.
The Labor Department Bureau of International Labor Affairs is seeking comment on some recently released reports about child labor and forced labor in foreign countries. Labor specifically wants comments on the following reports:
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) should release information that ensures that Uzbekistan-sourced cotton is not produced through child and forced labor, the main U.S. and Canadian purchasers of Bangladeshi cotton said Sept. 20 in a letter to the BGMEA. BGMEA plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uzbek government, the letter says. The U.S. and Canadian groups cite reports that indicate Uzbekistan systematically traffics citizens for cotton harvest.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 22-26 in case they were missed.
The Labor Department updated its list of goods it believes to have been produced by child labor or forced labor to add four goods (cattle from South Sudan, dried fish from Bangladesh, fish from Ghana, garments from Vietnam, and gold and wolframite from the Democratic Republic of Congo). The full report, including the updated list and a discussion of the list’s context, scope, methodology, and limitations, as well as frequently asked questions and a bibliography of sources, is available on the DOL website (here). The Federal Register notice is (here)
A majority of stakeholders urged caution in possibly extending Generalized System of Preferences benefits to Myanmar (Burma) in comments filed us the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). They said the country’s progress towards good governance, while admirable, is tenuous and remains fraught with concerns over worker’s rights and military power. The USTR posted comments on its review to extend GSP to Myanmar (Burma) and Laos May 22. USTR is holding a public hearing in connection with its review June 4 (see 13041521).