In addition to its standard due diligence activities, FLA is equipped to intervene rapidly when workers' rights have been violated or are at risk. As a multi-stakeholder initiative, FLA is uniquely positioned to bring civil society organizations, government agencies, brands and factory management together to address issues quickly and in a sustainable way. Through its complaints and investigations, FLA works quickly to bring resolution to workers' rights violations flagged by union representatives, workers, and local civil society organizations. When allegations are brought against a company that has committed to FLA labor standards, FLA takes immediate action in one of two ways: If an official complaint has been filed, FLA informs all involved parties and initiates its effective and proven Third Party Complaint process. If a complaint has not been filed, but FLA or its affiliates learn about allegations from a credible third party, FLA may launch an independent investigation. Learn more about the Third Party Complaint process and view complaint and investigation reports below.
In mid-March 2013, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) engaged Veasna Nuon, an independent expert on Cambodian industrial relations, to investigate allegations of freedom of association violations at the E Garment factory in Cambodia by the Worker Rights Consortium. E Garment is owned and operated by FLA Participating Supplier Yee Tung Group; Category B Licensee VF Corporation sources from the factory.
Yee Tung Garment Company Ltd. (Yee Tung Group), headquartered in Hong Kong, is an FLA Participating Supplier. Among the factories owned by Yee Tung Group is Century Miracle Ltd. (Century Miracle), located in the Al Hassan Industrial Estate, Ramtha, Jordan. The factory produces knits and t-shirts for several international buyers. In early 2013, the international press began to report on clashes at the factory involving migrant Burmese workers and concerns about their safety.
In February 2012, FLA assessed working conditions and the treatment of workers at three Chinese factories manufacturing Apple products, which are owned and operated by Foxconn. FLA returned to the facilities from June 25 to July 6 2012 to verify the implementation status of remedial action items through June 30.
The Board of Directors of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) provisionally approved the application of Ozak Tekstil Konfeksiyon Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (“Ozak Tekstil”) to become a Participating Supplier on June 14, 2011, contingent on the fulfillment of several administrative requirements for affiliation set out by the FLA Board. Because the company did not fulfill these requirements, Ozak Tekstil did not become an FLA Participating Supplier.
Outerstuff and College Kids commissioned an investigation following allegations of noncompliance at the Style Avenue factory, and developed a plan to address the issues found. In June 2012, FLA commissioned the Center for Reflection, Education and Action to verify the progress of implementation of the remediation plan. The verification report confirmed that some of the original findings have been successfully addressed by factory management, but that several issues require further attention.
On August 2, 2011, FLA released a report about an investigation into allegations of violations of Freedom to Association at the Rimaks Tekstil Facilities in Turkey.
On July 18, 2011, FLA released a report on the independent investigation into allegations that numerous employees fainted at the Huey Chuen Co. Ltd. factory in Cambodia.
On May 10, 2011, FLA released a report on the Third Party Complaint (3PC) filed by the union Sindicato de Trabajadores de Industria Textil Choishin (SITRACHOI) alleging a number of labor violations including the illegal termination of employment contracts and nonpayment of severance.