News Releases Archive
2007
December 11, 2007 -- FLA issues a statement by Auret van Heerden, President, regarding freedom of speech and expression -- Today, FLA President, Auret van Heerden, issued a statement on freedom of speech and expression in support of international labor rights NGOs. Read the statement here.
November 30, 2007 -- FLA Releases 2007 Annual Report -- The FLA released its 2007 Annual Public Report today. The report offers a wealth of information from nearly 150 unannounced factory inspections conducted by independent auditors during 2006, as well as detailed information on the labor compliance programs of 38 affiliated companies. It also provides a look at several parts of the FLA program, including updates on special projects and the FLA’s new Enhanced Licensee program
August 31, 2007 -- FLA Releases Independent Monitor Report of Cimatextiles Factory in Guatemala -- The FLA today released an independent report it commissioned concerning allegations of violations of worker rights at the Cimatextiles factory in Villa Nueva, Guatemala.
July 25, 2007 -- FLA Elects Carol Bellamy new Board of Directors Chair -- The FLA announced the election of Carol Bellamy, the President and CEO of World Learning and the former Executive Director of UNICEF and Director of the Peace Corps, as its chair of the FLA Board of Directors, effective August 1. View the press release here.
June 25, 2007 -- Update on the Hermosa plant closure – The FLA continues to seek a resolution to the complex issues surrounding the closing of Hermosa Manufacturing in El Salvador. We recognize that the affected workers have not been treated fairly and that their rights need to be enforced and protected. The FLA and its affiliated companies continue to press the Government of El Salvador to meet its legal obligations to workers. In addition, FLA-affiliated companies and the FLA are working to promote the reemployment of former Hermosa workers. These and other FLA activities are discussed in the FLA’s response to a recent report issued by the Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) examining the Hermosa case. The MSN report was prepared at the request of the FLA and is available here.
June 19, 2007 -- Fair Labor Association Approves Accreditation of Gildan Activewear and New Era Cap Labor Compliance Programs -- The Board of Directors of the FLA voted to bestow its most advanced recognition of a company's labor compliance program on two Participating Companies, Gildan Activewear, the Canadian apparel company, and New Era Cap, the Buffalo-based maker of sports headwear. The action represents the first time that brands that are also manufacturers -- factory owners themselves rather than simply companies who contract with foreign factories -- have been accredited for the compliance programs they developed. View the press release here.
June 12, 2007 -- FLA Holds Stakeholder Forum in the Dominican Republic -- In conjunction with its recent board of Directors meeting in the Dominican Republic, the FLA held a stakeholders' meeting to address the challenges facing the apparel industry in that region of the world. The daylong session, entitled "After the MFA: Challenges in Promoting and Protecting Worker Rights in a Changing Market Environment," drew representatives from a number of different organizational backgrounds, including trade unions, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, suppliers, and brands working in Central America and the Dominican Republic. The afternoon session focused on the current situation of the Dominican apparel sector, including potential actions that could be taken to assist the industry in adjusting to a changing market environment. It also included the presentation of a Report and Recommendation from a Mission charged by the FLA to look into the subject.
- Agenda for the stakeholders' meeting (English)
- Agenda for the stakeholders' meeting (Spanish)
- Summary of the stakeholders' meeting.
- PowerPoint presentation on “The Expiry of the MFA: Regulatory Changes and Implications for Workers."
- Professor Jennifer Bair’s presentation on the FLA Mission.
- Report of the FLA Mission: "The Apparel Industry in the Dominican Republic After the MFA" (English)
- Report of the FLA Mission: "The Apparel Industry in the Dominican Republic After the MFA" (Spanish).
June 1, 2007 -- FLA Applauds BJ&B Settlement -- The FLA commended the union and management at the BJ&B factory for using the collective bargaining process to reach a just settlement.
May 23, 2007 -- FLA Begins Investigation of Guatemalan factory. The FLA today announced that it had retained an independent expert to conduct an investigation into allegations of worker mistreatment at the Cimatextiles factory in Villa Nueva, Guatemala. Read the press release here.
May 19, 2007 -- 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.
April 2, 2007 -- The FLA released a report examining the legal 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.
The FLA itself will be conducting other forms of due diligence and seeking to identify proactive remedies to protect jobs and labor standards. On study, expected by June, will focus on the economic challenges facing the apparel export industry in the Dominican Republic, circumstances that have already led to a loss of more than 50,000 jobs.
View the report by Dr. Milton Ray Guevara.
February 23, 2007 -- The Board of Directors voted to accredit the labor compliance program of Puma. View the press release here.
January 11, 2007 -- FLA appoints Alex Wohl as Director of Communications and Outreach. View the press release here.
2006
December 22, 2006 -- The FLA announced the creation of a Hermosa emergency fund to benefit the former workers of the Hermosa Manufacturing plant in El Salvador who have remained unemployed since last year, when the plant’s local owner unilaterally closed its doors and left the employees without any financial compensation.
- Press Release
- FLA Interim Report on the third party complaint (English)
- Emergency fund administrator's report
- Letters from the former Hermosa workers to FLA (English and Spanish)
- Response from FLA's President and CEO Auret van Heerden to the former Hermosa workers (English and Spanish)
October 26, 2006 -- The Board of Directors voted Wednesday to accredit the labor compliance program of Nordstrom and reaccredit the labor compliance program of Reebok Footwear. Read the press release here.
May 19, 2006 -- FLA Executive Director Rut Tufts Dies after a fall -- Press Release and Pharis Harvey's remarks at the June 15, 2006 Board of Directors meeting.
March 28, 2006 -- FLA Releases Statement In Response to the USAS website "FLA Watch." Read the statement here.
2005
November 14, 2005 -- FLA Releases 2005 Annual Public Report: Read the Press Release and Executive Summary.
July 6, 2005 -- FLA Appoints Jorge F. Perez-Lopez as Director of Monitoring. Read the press release.
May 12, 2005 -- What is accreditation? Read the document.
May 12, 2005 -- Fair Labor Association accredits six Participating Companies’ programs to improve conditions for contracted factory workers. Read the press release here.
2004
December 10, 2004 -- FLA Board rescinds termination of Gildan Activewear. Read the announcement. View the tracking chart cited in the announcement here.
October 26, 2004 -- FLA Board adopts resolution on elimination of apparel quotas. Read the resolution.
October 26, 2004 -- FLA Board decides on Gildan Activewear’s status in the FLA. Read the announcement.
August 19, 2004 -- Fair Labor Association issues second Annual Public Report. Read the press release. Read the report here.
August 5, 2004 -- FLA approves a pilot program to test its methodology in the agricultural sector. Read the statement here.
July 29, 2004 -- FLA Board statement with regard to Gildan Activewear Inc -- click here to read the statement.
July 27, 2004 – FLA posts tracking chart related to Third Party Complaint against Gildan. View the tracking chart here.
July 24, 2004 -- FLA statement on Third Party Complaint regarding Honduran factory producing for Gildan Activewear -- Read the statement here.
April 29, 2004 -- FLA accredits Reebok Footwear’s labor compliance program. Read the press release here.
April 5, 2004 -- Letter from FLA Executive Director to universities about facility sourcing for Lands’ End in El Salvador – Read the letter here.
January 2004 -- Progress report on dispute settlement at Jaqalanka in Sri Lanka -- Read the report here.
2003
November 11, 2003 -- FLA designates Auret van Heerden as President; names Rut Tufts as Executive Director. Read the press release here.
October 16, 2003 -- FLA helps mediate agreement for freedom of association in Jaqalanka in Sri Lanka. Read the press release; view a copy of the agreement; read the message from the FTZU (provided by Clean Clothes Campaign); and read roundtable release on Jaqalanka.
September 12, 2003 -- FLA receives $1.5 million in settlement of Kasky v. Nike first amendment case; funds to be used to benefit factory workers and consumers. Read the press release here.
September 10, 2003 -- FLA responds to concerns raised by NLC and CCC-Germany regarding freedom of association in El Salvadoran factories. Read the statement here.
August 23, 2003 – FLA Forum in Guatemala on changes in the maquila sector – View the press invite.
July 31, 2003 – FLA helps 1,250 Guatemalan workers retain their jobs – read the press release for details. See Coverco public monitoring reports for Liz Claiborne to read some of the history about this case (www.coverco.org).
June 4, 2003 -- Fair Labor Association issues first public report; read the press release here.
March 31, 2003 -- Adele Simmons elected Chair of Fair Labor Association Board. Read the press release here.
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