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FIFA Must Publish Robust Human Rights Framework for 2026 World Cup

FIFA Must Keep Its Human and Labor Rights Commitments for Next Men’s World Cup

New York – FIFA should immediately release and commit to implementing the robust Human Rights Framework for the 2026 Men’s Soccer World Cup, which it developed through extensive consultations with civil society stakeholders and public officials from across North America. The Framework, which FIFA shared with host cities in March 2024, will govern labor and human rights for all 16 North American host cities.

 

FIFA should now make the Framework public for all stakeholders without any dilution or further delay. FIFA’s continued delay in a public release of the Framework raises alarm bells, especially as the work of planning and delivering the World Cup is well underway without those human rights guardrails in place. The Dignity 2026 Coalition calls on the FIFA officials convening on May 17 in Bangkok for the 74th Congress to rectify this critical human rights deficit in FIFA policy.

 

In early May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino traveled to Washington, D.C., to press the United States to expedite visas for fans. FIFA expects the U.S. to implement many other government guarantees, including massive tax waivers and blanket exemptions from labor law.

 

“FIFA will need the buy-in of workers, communities, and elected officials for a successful tournament, and that will not happen unless FIFA keeps its promises on human rights,” said Cathy Feingold, director of the AFL-CIO’s International Department. “In light of its financial, operational, and legal demands on host governments, FIFA’s delays and silence on its human rights strategy are particularly glaring.”

 

The members of Dignity 2026 – an alliance of organizations representing millions of civil society stakeholders in the U.S. that works in close partnership with coalitions in Canada and Mexico – have strong concerns about the delay and the status of the concrete human rights standards that Dignity 2026 has advocated for with FIFA, host cities, and the U.S. government. Several of the founding organizations of Dignity 2026, including Human Rights Watch and the AFL-CIO, had worked with the North American Bid Committee in 2018 to shape strong human rights language. Civil society support for the hosting of the 2026 World Cup in North America was premised on these commitments.

 

“Sports uplift the values of fair play and competition. International competitions like FIFA’s World Cup draw attention to equity, not just through play but by valuing fairness and an equal application of the rules, including the economics of sport,” said Jamal Watkins, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Advancement for the NAACP. “There are NAACP units in each of the 11 U.S. host cities, and we want FIFA to know that we are watching. Through our close relationships, from Seattle to Miami, we are very familiar with the standards and tools in the Framework that FIFA shared with host cities in March. We expect that document to be released at once.”

 

In 2010, FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar without any conditions on human rights protections, despite the country’s poor human rights record and massive infrastructure deficit. FIFA’s decision drew widespread criticism for the need to construct eight stadiums in dangerous heat, and the lack of human and labor rights protections in place.

 

“In view of migrant worker deaths, discrimination against LGBT people, and other abuses at past World Cups, workers, local communities, and rights defenders deserve more than empty promises from FIFA,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch. “FIFA needs a concrete, published, and enforceable plan to protect labor and human rights around the 2026 World Cup.”

 

The Dignity Coalition is concerned that pressure from business partners and future World Cup host countries may account for FIFA’s stalling on human rights. In July, FIFA is expected to confirm that the 2030 World Cup will take place in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, and that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, raising concerns globally about FIFA’s commitment to human and labor rights.

 

“FIFA has a chance to remake the world of sport into one that champions fundamental rights and principles on occupational health and safety, worker organizing, gender equality, forced labor and more,” said Luc Triangle, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation “But it will lose all credibility if it abandons or dilutes concrete standards and implementation criteria that were developed with unions, fans, and human rights organizations.”

 

About the Dignity 2026 coalition

The Dignity 2026 Coalition brings together 13 national-level human rights groups, labor unions and worker center networks, athletes’ organizations, fans, and migrant rights groups to ensure that the 2026 FIFA World Cup protects affected communities and advances their interests. Member organizations include the AFL-CIO, The Army of Survivors, Athlete Ally, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM), Global Labor Justice, Grassroots Law & Organizing for Workers (GLOW), Georgetown University Law Center (Harrison Institute), Human Rights Watch, Independent Supporters Council, Jobs with Justice, the NAACP, PowerSwitch Action, and the Sport & Rights Alliance.

 

For press inquiries, please contact: asukthankar@aflcio.orgwordenm@hrw.orgwl46@law.georgetown.edu,  rachel@sportandrightsalliance.org

Historic New Coalition of Unions and Civil Society Organizations Launches to Demand Indonesian and Taiwanese Authorities Protect Indonesian Migrant Fishers in Major Migration Agreement

The Clock is Ticking as the Coalition Waits for Taiwan’s Response to Its Demands

Jakarta/Taipei: A coalition of seven labor unions in Indonesia and Taiwan representing more than 30,000 fishers in fleets in all major oceans, supported by twelve civil society organizations in both countries and globally, has been established to advocate for better standards for migrant fishers. This coalition, the Coalition for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Fishers in Taiwanese Fishing Vessels, demands the Indonesian and Taiwanese authorities reach an agreement ensuring that the human rights and labor rights of Indonesian migrant fishers recruited to work on Taiwanese fishing vessels are respected throughout the entire migration process.

The Coalition marks the first time Taiwanese and Indonesian unions and civil society organizations have come together to advocate for migrant fishers. The members have developed a proposal to provide evidence-based input to the Indonesian and Taiwanese authorities.

“We are joining together across borders to present our demands. We’re calling on Taiwan to follow international best practices and live up to its commitment to support labor rights for all workers, including in international agreements,” said Achmad Mudzakir, Chairman of the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI).

The Coalition is demanding fundamental labor rights and decent work, freedom of association and anti-retaliation, collective bargaining agreements, Wi-Fi, fair pay, grievance handling, and employer accountability for labor recruitment, including recruitment fees and related costs fully paid by employers. The Coalition communicated these demands to both the Taiwanese and Indonesian authorities on March 1, 2024. These demands were conveyed to the Taiwanese Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Indonesian Economic and Trade Office in Taipei, as well as to the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta.

The coalition presented the demands at a focus group discussion on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Fishers, convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Indonesia on May 6, 2024. Government authorities attending this discussion were the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesian Economic and Trade Office in Taipei, and the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI).

In response to the Coalition’s demands, the Indonesian authorities have agreed that the placement of sea-based migrant workers needs to be regulated in a dedicated arrangement. The Taiwanese authorities have not yet responded to the demands.

During the focus group discussion, Judha Nugraha, the Director for the Protection of Citizens Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “We have taken note of and considered all the recommendations presented by Coalition. We acknowledge the complex nature of migrant fishers’ protection and commit to resume discussion with the Coalition and other stakeholders to brainstorm all relevant issues and best practices on Indonesian migrant fishers’ protection.”

“We want the Indonesian and Taiwanese authorities to develop an arrangement on migrant fishers’ protection and we want a seat at the negotiating table so we can protect the fishers who bring dinner to Taiwan’s tables,” said Syofyan, Secretary General of Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SAKTI).

Jeremia Humolong Prasetya, a researcher from Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI), conveyed the importance of this multi-stakeholder focus group. “Adding to the importance of tripartite, the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches need to guide the implementation of Indonesian migrant fishers’ protection, especially when developing arrangements with the Taiwanese authorities.”

Migrant fishers in Taiwan’s distant-water fleet, mostly hailing from Indonesia, are speaking out against the conditions they face, including forced labor, physical abuse, wage theft, death and disappearances at sea, and a total lack of communication with their families and the outside world while at sea for months at a time.

“If the fishing industry is to sustain its existence, it must continue to listen to the aspirations of fishers and their labor unions, as well as civil society organizations. Business actors must conduct responsible business that upholds the human rights of migrant fishers,” said Hariyanto Suwarno, Chairman of Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI).

“Without mandated regular Wi-Fi access to connect migrant fishers back to shore, the ocean is effectively a ‘no union zone’ for too many of these workers. To ensure that the catch of the day is free from labor abuse, the Taiwanese and Indonesian authorities must implement labor rights for migrant fishers, starting with communications at sea in the form of Wi-Fi,” said Valery Alzaga, Deputy Director of Global Labor Justice.

The plight of migrant fishers in Taiwan’s fleet has garnered renewed attention after the recent explosive story from the Guardian on the horrific working conditions faced by the fishers who supply $1.1 billion USD of Taiwan’s distant-water fishing products, including tuna and squid, to major global markets.

Migrant workers are a major contributor to the Taiwanese economy, with more than 750,000 working in many key industries under unjust and abusive working conditions. More than 22,000 Southeast Asian migrants work in Taiwan’s fishing industry, which comprises over a thousand vessels that fish in all of the world’s oceans.

Contact Person:
English Inquiries: Julie Blust, Global Labor Justice julieblust@globallaborjustice.org+1-215-713-6777

Indonesian Inquiries: Jeremia Humolong Prasetya jeremiahp@oceanjusticeinitiative.org +62 813-8080-2531

Mandarin Inquiries: Shih Yi-hsiang, Taiwan Association for Human Rights riverrain308@tahr.org.tw +886-920719347

The Coalition for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Fishers in Taiwanese Fishing Vessels includes:

FOSPI (Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia) — Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum SBMI (Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia) — Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union

SPPI (Serikat Pekerja Perikanan Indonesia) — Indonesian Fishing Union

SAKTI (Serikat Awak Kapal Transportasi Indonesia) — Indonesian Transport Crew Union

SAKTI Sulut (Serikat Awak Kapal Perikanan Bersatu Sulut) — Union of Fishing Vessel Crews United

PPB (Persatuan Pelaut Borneo) — Borneo Seafarers Union

SBPI (Serikat Buruh Perikanan Indonesia) — Indonesian Fisheries Labor Union

PSP (Pejuang Suara Pelaut)

BEBESEA (Better Engagement Between East and Southeast Asia)

DFW-Indonesia (Destructive Fishing Watch Indonesia DFW-Indonesia)

EJF (Environmental Justice Foundation)

GLJ (Global Labor Justice)

Greenpeace Indonesia

HRC (Humanity Research Consultancy)

HRWG (Human Rights Working Group)

IOJI (Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative)

SPA (Serve the People Association)

Stella Maris Kaohsiung

TAHR (Taiwan Association for Human Rights)「保護臺灣漁船上的印尼漁工聯盟」參與組織包括:

東港印尼海員同鄉聯誼會 (FOSPI (Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia) — Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum)

印尼移工聯盟 (SBMI (Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia) — Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union)

印尼漁業工會(Serikat Pekerja Perikanan Indonesia,SPPI)

印尼交通勞工工會 ((Serikat Awak Kapal Transportasi Indonesia) — Indonesian Transport Crew Union)

漁船船員聯合會(Serikat Awak Kapal Perikanan Bersatu Sulut,SAKTI Sulut)

婆羅洲海員工會(Persatuan Pelaut Borneo,PPB)

印尼漁業勞工工會(Serikat Buruh Perikanan Indonesia,SBPI)

海員之聲戰士(Pejuang Suara Pelaut,PSP)

東亞和東南亞之間更好的接觸(Better Engagement Between East and Southeast Asia,BEBESEA)

印尼破壞性漁業觀察(Destructive Fishing Watch Indonesia, DFW-Indonesia)

環境正義基金會 (Environmental Justice Foundation)

全球勞工正義 (Global Labor Justice)

印尼綠色和平 (Greenpeace Indonesia)

憫研顧問 (Humanity Research Consultancy)

印尼海洋正義倡議人權工作小組(Human Rights Working Group,HRWG)

印度尼西亚海洋正义倡议 (Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative)

群眾服務協會 (Serve the People Association)

高雄天主教海星海員中心 (Stella Maris Kaohsiung)

台灣人權促進會 (Taiwan Association for Human Rights)

Migrant Fishers Bring Demand for Labor Rights and Wi-Fi on Every Vessel to Seafood Expo Global 

Migrant fishers, working in forced labor conditions, celebrate as the EU bans products made with forced labor

BARCELONA – Migrant fishers who work on Taiwan’s distant-water fleet are attending the Seafood Expo Global (SEG) to speak out against the harrowing conditions aboard these vessels, including forced labor, physical abuse, and disappearances at sea. SEG opened on Tuesday just as the European Parliament took a momentous vote to approve a law banning products made with forced labor and today passed the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), decisions with far-reaching implications for the seafood industry.

As part of the Wi-Fi NOW for Fisher’s Rights Campaign, migrant fishers, and their allies call on the world’s biggest seafood brands, retailers, and investors to support their fight for fundamental labor rights, including Wi-Fi on every vessel.

“Our fishing trips can go on for ten months without returning to port. During this time, we have no way of contacting the outside world. We are completely isolated out at sea. Work hours are brutal, and work-related accidents happen frequently due to the dangerous nature of the work and the lack of rest we get,” said Adrian, a fisher from Indonesia and member of the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI).

“We are urging the seafood industry to act quickly as lives are at risk. We demand that seafood brands and others sourcing from Taiwan make it mandatory for vessels to provide Wi-Fi to protect fishers and the ocean,” said Hadi, a leader of the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI).

Taiwan has the second largest distant-water fishing fleet after China and exports 1 billion dollars in seafood annually to the United States, Japan, and the EU, among other markets. Factors such as isolation at sea, thin profit margins, withholding of wages, recruitment fees, excessive working hours, and crew lack of access to communication technologies such as Wi-Fi can all drive forced labor and IUU fishing.

“These two laws mark an important step towards eradicating forced labor from EU supply chains, and we’re calling for their swift and effective implementation in the seafood industry. Mandating Wi-Fi for fishers is a crucial first step for companies to conduct effective supply chain due diligence and to help eradicate forced labor, ensure labor rights, and support responsible fishing. There is no truly ‘sustainable’ seafood without labor rights for fishers. Fishers can play a foundational role in driving progress toward a sustainable seafood industry with dignity for workers and the ocean,” stated Valery Algaza, Deputy Director of Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum.

Over the past few months, migrant fishers have escalated their demands for Wi-Fi, and their cause has gained global attention. During their visit to Barcelona this week, they met with the city government of Barcelona and received full support. In March, The Guardian published an exposé that detailed labor abuses and pervasive IUU fishing in the seafood industry. A delegation of migrant fishers from FOSPI traveled to the Seafood Expo North America and received an outpouring of support from the community, followed by a trip to Washington, D.C. for meetings with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the U.S. Trade Representative, and members of Congress.

Migrant fishers with FOSPI also recently met with the Taiwanese government and seafood associations, as negotiations have stalled on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to improve the rights of distant-water fishers. Following the SEG, migrant fishers and their allies will travel to Brussels to meet with The European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic service, among others.

Wi-Fi NOW for Fisher’s Rights Campaign is an international campaign with U.S., Taiwanese, and Indonesian allies, including Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum, or Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia (FOSPI), Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Stella Maris Kaohsiung, Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC).

Contact: Julie Blust, +1-215-713-6777 julieblust@globallaborjustice.org
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Migrant Fishers Union and Allies Outraged by Seafood Industry’s ‘Tone-Deaf’ Admission that Isolation is Deliberate

Seafood industry tells migrant fishers experiencing forced labor and horrific work conditions that being able to communicate while at sea will “hinder their work mood”

TAIPEI—Unions, worker organizations, and civil society organizations in the Wi-Fi Now for Fishers’ Rights campaign have responded to comments by the Taiwan Tuna Association, opposing Wi-Fi for fishers under the pretext that isolation enhances productivity.

“The Tuna Association’s brazen and tone-deaf comments reveal a shocking truth–they prioritize productivity over the fundamental labor rights and well-being of the fishers and their families. Fishers should have the right to access their pay, voice concerns to unions or officials, and maintain contact with their families,” emphasized Achmad Mudzakir, Chairman of the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI). 

In an interview with industry publication Seafood Source, a representative from the Taiwan Tuna Administration stated that they believe that providing Wi-Fi for fishers will “seriously hinder their work mood” and distract them from their work.

“The Taiwanese distant-water fishing business model should not depend on exploiting forced labor and the complete seclusion of migrant fishers. If Taiwan’s fishing industry really wants to improve fishers’ work moods and conditions, it would provide mandatory secure Wi-Fi internet access on all deep-sea fishing vessels so fishers can communicate with their families and with their unions to report any abuses in real-time,” said Jennifer (JJ) Rosenbaum, Executive Director of Global Labor Justice–International Labor Rights Forum. “Migrant fishers face extraordinary barriers to freedom of association. Wi-Fi access would provide a lifeline for migrant fishers and a crucial first step towards ensuring that the Taiwanese fishing industry, and the brands it supplies, uphold their commitments to human rights, supplier codes of conduct, and global labor standards,” added Rosenbaum.

Migrant fishers in Taiwan’s distant-water fleet are speaking out against the conditions they face, including forced labor, physical abuse, wage theft, death and disappearances at sea, and a total lack of communication with their families and the outside world while at sea for months at a time. The plight of migrant fishers in Taiwan’s fleet has garnered renewed attention after the recent explosive story from the Guardian on the horrific working conditions faced by the fishers who supply 1.8 billion USD of Taiwan’s distant-water fishing products, including tuna and squid, to major global markets.

The Wi-Fi Now For Fishers’ Rights Campaign is made up of  U.S., Taiwanese and Indonesian allies, including the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum, or Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia (FOSPI), Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Stella Maris Kaohsiung, Serve the People Association (SPA), and Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC).

Contact: Julie Blust 215-713-6777 julieblust at globallaborjustice.org
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TAIPEI – Earlier today, migrant fishers and key allies in the “Wi-Fi NOW for Fishers’ Rights” campaign, which is led by the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI), Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Stella Maris Kaohsiung, Serve the People Association (SPA), and Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC), met with the Premier of the Republic of China (ROC) or Taiwan, His Excellency Chen Chien-jen, to share fishers’ first-hand experiences working in Taiwan’s distant-water fishing fleet and to present their proposed solution to improve working conditions in their industry — mandatory Wi-Fi on board all 1,100 Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessels. 

Migrant fishers working in Taiwan’s distant-water fleet are calling for mandatory Wi-Fi on vessels to reduce forced labor risks and to ensure fishers can access fundamental labor rights without fear of retaliation. Every year, Taiwan’s distant-water fishing industry exports roughly 1 billion USD of distant-water fishing products, including tuna and squid, to major global markets. Evidence-based reports show that forced labor is present on Taiwanese fishing vessels, and in 2022 the United States (US) government included fish from Taiwan in its “list of goods and their source countries which it has reason to believe are produced by child labor or forced labor in violation of international standards.”

“We stand at the crossroads of a pivotal moment in the lives of migrant distant-water fishers, who tirelessly work on Taiwanese vessels, contributing not only to the nation’s economy but also to the global seafood industry,” said Mudzakir Achmad, Chairman of Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI), which represents migrant fishers in Taiwan’s distant-water fishing industry. “We thank His Excellency Chen Chien-jen for his willingness to listen to us and we hope that he will support us in our petition for mandatory and regulated Wi-Fi access on all vessels. For us, Wi-Fi is not a luxury, but our only means while we are working at sea to connect to our families, to address issues in real-time, and to seek help when needed. It represents a lifeline for those who endure the hardships of distant-water fishing.”

At the meeting, migrant fishers and their allies delivered to His Excellency Chen Chien-jen a petition with over 13,000 signatures supporting the call for mandatory Wi-Fi, including from 1,000 migrant fishers themselves and from more than 10,000 online supporters

The “Wi-Fi NOW for Fishers’ Rights” campaign is also seeking inclusion of mandatory Wi-Fi in the labor chapter of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade, which is currently under negotiation. “Our appeal for mandatory, secure, and cost-free Wi-Fi access for fishers on every Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessel aligns with Taiwan’s own commitments to address forced labor risks in this industry and to comply with International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 188 on Work in Fishing,” said Valery Alzaga, Deputy Director of Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF). 

To guarantee that Wi-Fi is accessible for fishers and supports fishers’ labor rights, migrant fishers and their allies are calling for mandatory Wi-Fi to meet the following key criteria:

  1. Accessibility for all fishers on board; 
  2. Costs of Wi-Fi are not passed on to the fishers; 
  3. Data privacy protections to ensure the confidentiality of fishers’ communications and prevent retaliation;
  4. Reasonable and transparent rules for when and how fishers use it consistent with occupational safety and health for all workers; and
  5. A conflict resolution pathway agreed with vessel owners to remedy violations without retaliation.

The campaign has also called on corporations in or connected to Taiwan’s distant-water fishing industry to participate in a roundtable with industry, labor, and government to discuss Wi-Fi implementation, leading towards a pilot program on several vessels that can inform implementation across Taiwan’s fleet. “Global seafood brands and retailers sourcing from Taiwan should join us to address abusive labor conditions for fishers in their supply chains. Otherwise, these corporations risk continued exposure to forced labor import bans and other similar legal consequences,” said Alzaga of GLJ-ILRF. 

Petition (English) – https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/wi_fi_on_board_loc/

Petition (Mandarin) – https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/ct/wi_fi_on_board_loc/

Petition (Indonesian) – https://avaaz.org/campaign/id/wifi_on_board_id/

Petition (Japanese) – https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/jp/wi_fi_on_board_asia_1/

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GLJILRF is a non-profit public-interest organization dedicated to achieving dignity and justice for workers worldwide. GLJ-ILRF focuses on enforcing labor rights and promoting decent work conditions consistent with best practices and International Labour Organization (ILO) standards in the low-wage sections of global supply chains such as commercial fishing. GLJ-ILRF engages in research, policy work, advocacy, and education of the public and consumers.

 

Washington – Global Labor JusticeInternational Labor Rights Forum  (GLJ-ILRF) welcomes the decision by the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) to investigate whether fashion giant Nike and Dynasty Gold, a mining company, have benefitted from Uyghur forced labor. The decision, announced July 11, stems from allegations filed by 28 rights groups, led by the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and Canadians in Support of Refugees in Dire Need. 

“CORE’s decision to investigate is an important step to ensuring Nike does not profit or benefit from forced labor, which is a key instrument of the genocide and crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs,” said Allison Gill, Forced Labor Program Director at GLJ-ILRF, a steering committee member of the Coalition to End Forced Labor in the Uyghur Region. “Forced labor in global supply chains drives labor standards down and hurts working people everywhere. We hope this investigation spurs broader action by Canada to hold companies accountable for forced labor and to block goods made with forced labor from entering the Canadian market.” GLJ-ILRF called on all companies to map their supply chains and business relationships and cut ties with entities connected to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Uyghur Region) or that use the forced labor of Uyghurs or other Turkic and/or Muslim people in China. 

In February, GLJ-ILRF joined forces with the Asia Floor Wage Alliance and unions across five countries in South and Southeast Asia representing workers at Nike factories to file a complaint with the US National Contact Point (NCP) for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) stemming from the human rights impacts of massive COVID wage losses. The complaint alleges that Nike has not addressed and remediated the impacts according to the 2011 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, including that Nike had ignored unions’ repeated requests for dialogue about the dire impact on workers and their families and the differential gendered impact. OECD confidentiality rules prohibit publication of the Specific Instance and parties’ further comments about the process. A summary of the Specific Instance is available here.

“The allegations of Nike using forced Uyghur labor in its supply chain are serious and, together with the well-documented human rights crisis faced by garment workers in Nike’s supply chain during the COVID pandemic, suggest a clear pattern of insufficient due diligence by Nike that harms workers,” said Sahiba Gill, Senior Staff Attorney at GLJ-ILRF. “Nike should engage with labor organizations at every stage of due diligence to assess and address the impacts its business has on workers. Government-led processes like CORE and the US NCP can help  ensure that Nike respects workers.”.”

# # # #

Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ – ILRF) is a non-governmental organization that works transnationally to advance policies and laws that protect decent work; to strengthen freedom of association and workers’ ability to advocate for their rights, and to hold corporations accountable for labor rights violations in their supply chains.

In the first year, 98% of grievances were resolved, including all GBVH cases

Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India One year after the signing of the historic Dindigul Agreement, a new report documents how major global fashion companies, a clothing and textile supplier and labor organizations have empowered women garment workers including migrants in India to respond to and eliminate gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and caste-based discrimination and win more rights in their workplace.

In 2022, global brands H&M Group, Gap Inc. and PVH Corp. along with Eastman Exports and Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA), and Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum (GLJILRF) committed to joint accountability to end GBVH at Eastman factories in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India. 

In the first year of the agreement, reports from workers and other data show that a worker and union-led model created positive impacts for women workers that have surpassed even the bold predictions by the committed parties in meaningful and measurable ways.

From April to December of 2022, workers using the provisions of the Agreement raised 185 grievances: 

  • 177 (96%) were raised by women
  • 98% of the 185 grievances workers raised at the factory were resolved
  • 90% of grievances were resolved within a week
  • All 23 GBVH cases raised were resolved 
  • Over 30 union-management meetings to resolve grievances held at the worksite.
  • 58 worker shop-floor monitors were trained to identify GBVH and accompany workers in the grievance process
  • Over 2,000 workers and management were trained on GBVH and the terms of the agreement, including senior management, support staff and contract bus drivers.

“I was one of the first women who used the grievance redressal mechanism of the Dindigul Agreement to report gender-based violence … As a veteran in this industry, I still cannot believe I received justice; and I know that this would have never happened had the Dindigul Agreement not been signed, and the union had not been present on the factory floor. I really want to continue working for this factory now,” said garment worker Amalajyoth, who maintains the feeding record in the garment unit. 

The Dindigul Agreement enables women to have collective voice, agency and power in their workplace and in the fashion supply chain. The report highlights how the decisive and timely remediation of GBVH under the Agreement has also led to successful remediation of other types of labor violations under national law regarding minimum wages, payment of social security, workplace hazards, and other workplace conditions. 

The development of a multi-tier bottom-up survivor-centered GBVH identification, prevention, and remediation system, along with mature industrial relations has also helped Eastman Exports increase worker efficiency by 16%, increased reporting to work on time by 4.3%  and has reduced attrition rate by 67% between 2021 and 2022.

“The agreement has created a space of social dialogue between the union and the management of Eastman Exports. This has enabled us to help both workers and management improve working conditions as well as efficiency of production. Transparent conversations are happening between management and workers– leading to less conflicts, mature industrial relations and improved trust and confidence in management among workers,” said Thivya Rakini, TTCU President.

“We value the work put in by the organizations, and together, have come a long way. We believe in an employee first culture and will continue to imbibe best practices at work. We firmly believe in fostering a healthy and supportive environment, where every employee feels heard, respected, and valued. We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring fair treatment, equitable opportunities, and a supportive workplace for our valued workforce,” said Cibi Karthic, Director, Eastman Exports. 

“The Dindigul Agreement addresses the fundamental power imbalances within the factory floor, and gives the victims and survivors of GBVH an opportunity to remediate GBVH, based on their lived experiences. This democratizes workplaces, improves the retention of women workers, and increases work efficiency and worker well being. This is why we believe the Dindigul Agreement is a model that works for  workers, suppliers and brands alike,” said AFWA International Coordinator Anannya Bhattacharjee. 

The role fashion brands play in the Dindigul Agreement makes it especially effective.

​​“Using ILO C190 definitions and concepts and centering women’s agency in grievance handling and remediation, the Dindigul Agreement has shown what works,” said GLJ-ILRF Executive Director Jennifer (JJ) Rosenbaum. “Investors and brands who are serious about their human rights due diligence obligations have a model for responding to the gender-based violence and systemic discrimination in garment supply chains that employ over 94 million workers globally.”    

The Dindigul Agreement’s impact has gone beyond GBVH prevention with many positive echoes in the factory: creating better jobs that promote equity and a democratic workplace culture; preventing other kinds of rights violations; joint problem solving between workers and management; meaningful remediation as defined by women workers; and appropriate roles for the union, supplier and fashion brands. In addition, the U.S. Government has recognized that the Dindigul Agreement strengthened supply chain accountability and provided meaningful remediation from forced labor indicators. 

The many positive impacts in its first year make clear that the Dindigul Agreement is a model for unions, suppliers, brands, and investors committed to preventing GBVH, promoting the agency and empowerment of women garment workers, and eliminating forced labor. 

The Program Agreement text is available as an appendix to the report. 

The Agreement was signed in honor of the loss of a young garment worker, TTCU member, and Eastman employee, Jeyasre Kathirvel, whose life was tragically cut short as a result of GBVH. 

Read the report here.

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Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) is an independent, Dalit women-led trade union of textile workers organizing to end GBVH, wage theft, and caste-based violence in garment factories.  

Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ – ILRF) is a non-governmental organization that works transnationally to advance policies and laws that protect decent work; to strengthen freedom of association and workers’ ability to advocate for their rights; and to hold corporations accountable for labor rights violations in their supply chains.

Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) is an Asian labour-led global labour and social alliance across garment producing countries (such as India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Bangladesh) and consumer regions (USA and Europe) for addressing poverty level wages, gender-based violence, and freedom of association in global garment production networks.

The Groups Say Thailand Should Have Been Downgraded to Tier 2 Watchlist, and Taiwan Downgraded to Tier 2 

Washington D.C. – Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF) and allies in the Seafood Working Group (SWG) today said the U.S. State Department is neglecting labor rights abuses in Taiwan and Thailand’s fishing industry as it maintains their current rankings in the latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

For years, the SWG has urged the U.S. State Department to use its diplomatic power to promote respect for labor rights. This year the group issued its own reports on Thailand and Taiwan, detailing its findings of the government’s failure to prevent and address labor rights violations, forced labor, and human trafficking of migrant workers, and calling on the U.S. State Department to downgrade both countries in the TIP Report, which is the U.S. government’s principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking.

Instead, the State Department announced its decision to maintain Thailand at Tier 2 and maintain Taiwan at Tier 1, rankings for countries that are either meeting minimum standards to address labor trafficking or taking significant steps to do so.

“This year’s rankings give a pass to Taiwan and Thailand for repression of workers’ rights. The State Department should not consider any country to be taking significant steps to address trafficking while it fails to protect the freedom of association for vulnerable workers, including migrant workers and fishers. In particular, labor power, beginning with labor rights for all workers, including migrants, must be the focus of any response to forced labor and trafficking,” said GLJ-ILRF Forced Labor Program Director Allison Gill. “The U.S. should only grant Tier 1 or 2 status to a country when the government has developed laws and related practices that ensure migrant workers’ fundamental labor rights, including freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, health and safety protections, and non-discrimination protections. Taiwan and Thailand both fail to meet that standard.”

Fishing workers and their labor organizations in both Taiwan and Thailand and international allies have called for key changes to the industry that will enable fishers in both countries to exercise their fundamental labor rights. In Taiwan, migrant fishers are demanding access to guaranteed, free and encrypted Wi-Fi at sea so they may communicate with each other, and their unions and report abuse in real-time. In Thailand, migrant fishers and seafood processing workers and their allies are demanding the removal of the discriminatory provision in the Labor Relations Act that reserves the right to form and lead a union to Thai nationals only.

“As GLJ-ILRF’s work has shown, freedom of association and collective bargaining rights are critical for workers fighting back against forced labor, particularly migrant workers, and for creating durable solutions, said GLJ-ILRF Senior Seafood Campaign Coordinator Kimberly Rogovin. “The more the global seafood sector is organized, the less abuse arises. Thailand and Taiwan are both major players in the global fishing industry, sending tuna, shrimp, and other seafood and seafood by-products to the U.S. and around the world. In both countries, workers in the industry face serious abuses and barriers to joining and forming unions.”

In its reports, the SWG called on the State Department to use the TIP Report and the ranking process to support these demands. While the 2023 TIP Report discounts labor rights in its rankings — the U.S. Government can and should support labor rights in the fishing and seafood processing industries in both countries in policymaking.

Taiwan has made insufficient efforts to remain at Tier 1

While the TIP Office has chosen not to advance the interests of labor in its assessment of Taiwan, the U.S. government should be using the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade to protect and enhance rights of workers, including migrant fishers, in Taiwan. As part of any successful trade initiative that addresses forced labor in global supply chains, the Taiwanese government should continue to improve its regulatory practices in advancing the rights of distant-water fishers — in particular, ensuring satellite internet access and fishers’ freedom of association rights on the high seas.

“Both the Taiwan and U.S. governments, who have committed to addressing forced labor as part of the worker-centric trade initiative, should treat access to Wi-Fi as a litmus test for meaningful progress on freedom of association and forced labor prevention for migrant fishers,” said Yi-Hsiang Shih, Secretary General of Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR).

Thailand falls short of minimum standards

The State Department should not have issued the government of Thailand a Tier 2 ranking, as Thai law still prohibits the approximately 4 million Southeast Asian migrant workers from forming or leading labor unions, in violation of fundamental labor standards. As part of its TIP 2022 Action Plan, the Government of Thailand committed in August 2022 to develop laws that would grant migrant workers the legal right to establish labor unions but it has failed to do so. The Labor Relations Act remains unreformed. This explicit discrimination in the law has silenced migrant workers and created huge power imbalances, both of which foster the conditions for forced labor.

“Due to exploitative recruitment practices, a majority of migrant fishers arrive in Thailand in debt bondage, where they do not have the ability to change employers, and have their passports and identity documents retained — clear violations of migrant workers’ rights and red flags for forced labor,” said Johnny Hansen, Chair of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Fisheries Section. “Fishers throughout Thailand are organizing to protect themselves after reporting not being paid properly, being forced to work uncompensated overtime, and working in unsafe conditions—but have been denied basic freedom of association and collective bargaining rights that could improve their situation. Thailand is failing to effectively enforce ILO Convention 188 that establishes minimum standards, and is rapidly backsliding into the abhorrent labor conditions in the seafood supply chain that preceded the EU yellow card in 2015,” Hansen said.

The Government of Thailand has also increased migrant workers’ vulnerability to forced labor by permitting SLAPP suits, which aim to silence workers and human rights defenders, to remain ongoing in the Thai judicial system.

The government has also continued to rely on short-term migration management policies that put migrant workers at greater risk of forced labor.

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Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ – ILRF) is a non-governmental organization that works transnationally to advance policies and laws that protect decent work; to strengthen freedom of association and workers’ ability to advocate for their rights; and to hold corporations accountable for labor rights violations in their supply chains.

The Seafood Working Group (SWG) is a global coalition of human rights, labor, and environmental organizations that work together to develop and advocate for effective government policies and industry actions to end the related problems of labor exploitation, illegal fishing, and overfishing in the international seafood trade.

 

For Immediate Release

June 5, 2023

Contact:
Rachel Cohen, GLJ-ILRF, racohen78@gmail.com
Tanya Brooks, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 703-342-9226, E: tbrooks@greenpeace.org

Ahead of TIP Report, Labor Rights Activists Urge U.S. to Call for Thailand and Taiwan to Protect Migrant Workers and End Forced Labor in Seafood Industry

Seafood Working Group Recommends U.S. Downgrading Taiwan to ‘Tier 2’ and Thailand to ‘Tier 2 Watchlist’ in the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report

WASHINGTON, DC (June 5, 2023) – Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Greenpeace USA, and allies in the Seafood Working Group (SWG) today announced their findings of labor rights violations, forced labor, and human trafficking of migrant workers in Thailand and Taiwan and called on the U.S. Department of State to downgrade both countries in its 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report in order to hold the governments accountable for these abuses.

“In our submissions, workers and their allies make clear that continuous barriers to migrant workers’ ability to exercise their fundamental labor rights, including discriminatory legal frameworks, short-term guest worker policies, and misconduct by authorities, must be addressed to end exploitation,” said Jennifer (JJ) Rosenbaum, Executive Director of GLJ-ILRF.We intend that the submissions to the State Department bring workers’ experiences into policy-making spaces in the U.S. and in Thailand and Taiwan. Our experience shows that ensuring workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining prevents situations of exploitation that lead to forced labor from occurring in the first place.”

Tefere Gebre, Chief Program Officer for Greenpeace USA, said, “For many years, the Greenpeace network has documented serious issues of human trafficking and forced labor in the Taiwanese distant water fishing industry. While lives are at stake, governments and businesses have not addressed these issues with the urgency and resources they require. The revelations in our submission detail issues happening right now and should deepen concerns about the high-risk nature of the seafood supply chain. We call on the U.S. government to increase its monitoring of seafood imports and strengthen efforts to prevent these harms from occurring in the first place. Companies that source these products must prioritize the safety and wellbeing of workers in their supply chains, and ensure their customers receive products free from forced labor and modern slavery.”

Thailand falls short of minimum standards 

The SWG recommends that the U.S. downgrade Thailand to the Tier 2 Watchlist in 2023 as it  continues to fall short of the minimum standards the U.S. has set under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) to eliminate forced labor. The Government of Thailand has not provided evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons compared to the previous year, including not adequately adopting the majority of the TIP Office’s Prioritized Recommendations outlined in the 2022 TIP Report.

The Government of Thailand committed in August 2022 to granting migrant workers the legal right to establish labor unions as part of its anti-trafficking efforts, but it has not fulfilled its promise. The government also adopted anti-trafficking measures intended to strengthen the identification of survivors of forced labor, but has not effectively implemented these new policies on the ground. The Thailand submission documents 17 cases of potential forced labor, including cases in which workers are unable to resign due to document retention, withholding of wages, physical violence, debt bondage, or death threats.

“The Thai government needs to ensure migrant workers are paid adequate wages, do not have to pay high fees to brokers, and are not harassed by authorities, as we need decent jobs here because it is not safe to return to Myanmar,” said a female seafood processing worker and member of the Migrant Workers’ Rights Network (MWRN) in Thailand. 

“After progressive parties won most of the votes in Thailand’s recent general election, we are hopeful a future government will implement policies to protect migrant workers’ rights, particularly rights to unionization for all workers, including migrant workers, said Roisai Wongsuban, Senior Program Advisor at The Freedom Fund. 

Taiwan has made insufficient efforts to remain at Tier 1

The SWG also recommends that Taiwan should be downgraded to Tier 2 as it fails to meet the TVPA minimum standards but is making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards. To maintain a Tier 1 ranking, governments need to demonstrate appreciable progress each year in combating trafficking. During the reporting period, the Taiwanese government made efforts to improve the working conditions in its distant water fishing industry, however, these have not been appreciable. The findings of this submission show that Taiwan has not made progress on the majority of the TIP Office’s Prioritized Recommendations from their 2022 Report.

“The government has made some improvements in recent years, such as installing CCTV on vessels, increasing crew salaries, and requiring life jackets. However, migrant fishers still remain totally isolated from the outside world when sailing on the high seas for months. Communication access through Wi-Fi on board is the most powerful thing to protect workers’ rights, prevent forced labor, and maintain the mental health of workers on the high seas,” said Ahmed Mudzakir, Chairman, Indonesian Seafarers’ Gathering Forum (FOSPI).

“The 21st Century Initiative on trade between Taiwan and the U.S. is quickly being developed. To facilitate a successful trade initiative between the U.S. and Taiwan and to prevent any products sourced from Taiwan involving labor exploitation, the Taiwanese government should continue to improve its regulatory practices in advancing the rights of distant water fishers. This means ending the two-tiered employment system, properly regulating the recruitment agencies to implement the ILO’s fair recruitment principles, and ensuring internet access and fishers’ freedom of association rights on the high seas,” said Lennon Ying-Dah Wong, Director of the Dept. of Politics on Migrant Workers, Serve the People Association (SPA). 

There have been well-documented cases of labor abuse in the Taiwanese fishing industry. For two years in a row, the U.S. Department of Labor placed Taiwan-caught fish on its list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor. In September 2022, Greenpeace East Asia published the report, Fake My Catch, which documented forced labor indicators on six Taiwan-owned or – flagged fishing vessels supplying to Bumble Bee Seafoods, including excessive overtime and retention of identity documents. Over two-thirds of the surveyed workers reportedly had their wages withheld.  

Click here to read the comments from the Seafood Working Group to the U.S. State Department on Thailand and Taiwan

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Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ – ILRF) is a non-governmental organization that works transnationally to advance policies and laws that protect decent work; to strengthen freedom of association and workers’ ability to advocate for their rights; and to hold corporations accountable for labor rights violations in their supply chains.

Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

The Seafood Working Group (SWG) is a global coalition of human rights, labor and environmental organizations that work together to develop and advocate for effective government policies and industry actions to end the related problems of labor exploitation, illegal fishing and overfishing in the international seafood trade.

The Wi-Fi Now For Fishers’ Rights Campaign issued the following statement on the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade:

On Tuesday, May 23rd, dozens of Taiwanese unions, civil society organizations, and migrant worker organizations in Taipei issued their demands for the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade to the Taiwanese and U.S. governments, calling on the governments to protect labor and the environment as they negotiate the trade initiative this year.

The Wi-Fi Now For Fishers’ Rights Campaign, represented by the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Serve the People Association (SPA), and the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI), participated in the action to ensure fishers’ rights in Taiwan are protected in the labor chapter of the trade initiative. Our coalition members called for the trade initiative to include special protections for migrant fishers in Taiwan’s distant-water fishing fleet, specifically: guaranteed and secure Wi-Fi communication while at sea to ensure their ILO fundamental labor rights, including the right to form and join unions.

Migrant workers are a major contributor to the Taiwanese economy, with more than 750,000 working in many key industries under unjust and abusive working conditions. More than 22,000 Southeast Asian migrants work in Taiwan’s fishing industry, which comprises over a thousand vessels that fish in all of the world’s oceans. Fishers at sea face forced labor and other abusive conditions that have driven them to organize unions – but without regular Wi-Fi access to connect them back to shore, the ocean is effectively a “no union zone” for too many of these workers. This violates international standards on fundamental labor rights that Taiwan and the United States have committed to upholding as part of the trade initiative.  Our campaign has called on the U.S. and Taiwan to ensure fishers can exercise their international labor rights, including freedom of association, by ensuring access to Wi-Fi communication at sea. 

Seafood production in Taiwan is a pivotal industry for labor and should be addressed in the trade initiative. Taiwan has the world’s second-biggest distant-water fleet and the U.S. is the second largest importer of seafood worldwide. Much of the tuna and other fish that fishers catch on Taiwanese vessels is sold in the U.S. and Taiwan’s fish has been listed on the U.S. Department of Labor List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor for the past two years.  

The Wi-Fi Campaign met with trade negotiators in the U.S. and Taiwan earlier this year and proposed concrete language for the labor chapter that would ensure fishers’ rights are protected in the trade initiative. During this week’s action, the delegation brought their demands to the Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan and the American Institute of Taiwan (AIT). 

We launched our international campaign to support migrant fishers in their fight for Wi-Fi because the fishers’ have named it as a key component in their fight for their fundamental labor rights at sea. They face extremely severe abuses in Taiwan’s fishing industry, which have been documented by the U.S. government and other actors. Last year, the Biden Administration issued a high-level memorandum identifying forced labor as a major issue in distant water fishing, especially “Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated” or “IUU” fishing.  

We urge the Executive Yuan and the Biden administration to ensure that the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade contains commitments to fundamental labor rights for all workers, including freedom of association, health and safety protections, and elimination of forced labor and discrimination against migrant workers. We will continue our advocacy as negotiations continue. 

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The Wi-Fi Now For Fishers’ Rights Campaign is made up of  U.S., Taiwanese and Indonesian allies, including the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum, or Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia (FOSPI), Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Stella Maris Kaohsiung, Serve the People Association (SPA), and Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC).

 

Click here for more info about the Wi-Fi Now for Fishers’ Rights at Sea campaign.