Taiwan: 50 global apparel brands call for responsible recruitment standards for migrant workers in textile mills
"AAFA and FLA urge Taiwan to support responsible recruitment of migrant workers,"
Fifty global brands, many of which are signatories to the Commitment to Responsible Recruitment organized by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA), yesterday called on Taiwan to ensure that responsible business practices are consistently and sustainably applied in the recruitment of migrant workers to Taiwan, especially those employed in Taiwan’s textile mills.
In a joint letter, the signatories urged the government to prohibit brokers from charging recruitment fees and associated costs to workers; protect and promote workers’ freedom of association, including migrant workers’ access to unions or independent workers’ associations; protect migrant workers through robust agreements with sending countries; and streamline the application process for migrant workers who want to change employers, among other suggestions for regulatory changes.
The letters read in part, “Implementing these changes will be a good start in providing confidence to migrant workers, and to companies sourcing from Taiwan, that migrant workers in Taiwan are protected by a strong safety net and will not experience unethical recruitment or poor working conditions. We believe that collaboration between governments, civil society, and the private sector is essential to promoting and expanding ethical and sustainable business practices in Taiwan.”
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