Thank for providing us with the opportunity to respond to the recent events at First Glory in the Philippines.

J. Crew Group is committed to sourcing our products in an ethical, responsible and legal manner—and expect our suppliers to share our core values and to partner with us in our commitment to continuous improvement and in promoting better working conditions.

We take these matters seriously, and upon being made aware of this issue, we were successful in our efforts to get this factory to agree publicly and commit to holding union elections as required by local law.

To our understanding the recent retrenchment process was overseen by the local Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) after negotiations were held between the factory and worker representatives, including Cristito Pangan on December 3rd and December 10th, 2020.

Furthermore, the factory confirmed that they had received the “Petition For Certification Election” from the DOLE on November 24th, 2020. First Glory will follow the legal procedures as outlined in the petition, and J. Crew is committed to ensure that the certification election will take place as stipulated by the DOLE.

We believe that the right to Freedom of Association and the need for effective social dialogue are particularly crucial during these challenging times. Particularly, as the introduction of the Anti-Terrorism Act in the Philippines in July 2020 has increasingly put human lives and trade union rights at risk.