Mongru Neckwear, United States

In May 2015, a representative of Workers United, the union that represents workers at the factory Mongru Neckwear, in Long Island City, New York, alleged that Category B Licensee Vineyard Vines had failed to remediate noncompliances identified by the FLA during an assessment conducted in December 2014. The representative stated that Vineyard Vines instead had stopped sourcing from Mongru Neckwear and shifted its orders to another factory in April 2015, inconsistent with Principle 7 of the FLA’s Principles of Fair Labor and Responsible Sourcing (Timely and Preventative Remediation).  The FLA engaged an independent expert to re-assess the factory and to determine the extent to which findings from the December 2014 SCI assessment had or had not been remediated.

The FLA engaged the independent expert who conducted the December 2014 SCI assessment to re-visit the factory and gauge the status of remediation with respect to the noncompliances previously identified.  The independent expert visited Mongru Neckwear in early July 2015, met with management and workers, reviewed documentation, conducted a visual inspection of the facility, and updated the original SCI report (available here) with the new findings.  The assessment showed progress with respect to many, but not all, of the items identified for remediation.

The FLA has been informed by Vineyard Vines and Mongru Neckwear management that direct conversations between them are ongoing and at least one face-to-face meeting was held in September 2015, with new test orders placed in the second half of 2015.  The FLA recommends that going forward, Vineyard Vines continue its dialogue with Mongru Neckwear, seek to return to its previous commercial relationship, support further remediation at the factory, and continue to keep the union abreast of developments.