FLA Hot Issues

Hermosa Manufacturing

A Third Party Complaint was filed with the FLA on December 8, 2005 by Christliche Initiative Romero (CIR) regarding Hermosa Manufacturing, a factory located in Apopa, El Salvador. The complainant alleged that the factory had closed suddenly in May 2005, leaving about 320 workers without employment, and in several cases, without back wages, overtime payments or severance payment.

The FLA continues to seek resolution to the complex issues surrounding the closure of the Hermosa factory.

Read the FLA Second Interim Summary Report here.

Previous reports, press releases and letters relating to the Hermosa case:

  • April 2, 2008: In September 2007, the FLA appointed a well-respected Salvadoran human and labor rights lawyer and professor at the University of El Salvador, Mr. Juan José Zaldaña, to act as Ombudsman in the case. Read a report of the Ombudsman's activities from September 2007 through February 2008 here.
  • June 21, 2007: The FLA’s response to a report issued by the Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) examining the Hermosa case.
  • June 20, 2007: Report issued by MSN on the Hermosa case. The report, available here, was prepared at the request of the FLA.
  • February 6, 2007: Emergency Fund Administrator's Report
  • August 25, 2006: FLA Interim Summary Report in English and Spanish . Attachment A: Chronology of Activities, Attachment B: Report by Roberto Burgos Viale .
  • December 24, 2006: Response from FLA President and CEO Auret van Heerden to letter from former Hermosa workers dated December 20, 2006 (in English and Spanish).
  • December 22, 2006: Press Release announcing the creation of the FLA Emergency Fund for Hermosa workers.
  • December 20, 2006: Letter from the former Hermosa workers to the FLA (in Spanish and English).

The BJ&B Factory

FLA-WRC Issue Joint Statement on BJ&B Factory Severance Agreement - Following a meeting in Santo Domingo convened by the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation and attended by the FLA and WRC, as well as other groups, the FLA and WRC issued a joint statement, which included recommendations on the severance package for the former BJ&B workers. To read the statement, click here.

The FLA released a report examining the facts surrounding the closure of the BJ & B Factory in the Dominican Republic.
The report was written by Dr. Milton Ray Guevara, who served as Minister of Labor of the Dominican Republic from 2000 to 2004 and was elected President of the 92nd International Labor Conference in 2004. He has had a long career in academia, teaching constitutional and labor law at several universities in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Ray Guevara’s report makes no judgments nor reaches any conclusions about the situation. It is intended only to clarify the terms and conditions of the closure so that the situation can be addressed by concerned parties in a more informed manner.

At the time it released this report, the FLA noted it would issue a study of the broader problems the apparel industry in the DR is facing. The FLA recently completed an extensive investigation and study of the economic predicament of the apparel export industry in the Dominican Republic and the potential options. This report was released in June at a Stakeholder Forum in the Dominican Republic held in conjunction with the FLA Board meeting. It can be viewed here, in English and here, in Spanish.