REPORTS

2008 Annual Public Report

The last couple of years have been a period of transition for the FLA, in more ways than one. The global economic system has been shaken to its core and the impact on workers has been palpable around the world. The work of the FLA has been dominated by controversial factory closures and mitigating the impacts of the crisis. Falling orders have meant that factories have had even fewer resources to ensure that they respect workers rights, especially in cases where factories have had to lay off workers or worse, close their doors. The decision to retrench workers as a means of cutting expenses—no matter how valid it may be—heightens the risk that workers rights could be violated.