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FLA/AAFA statement on report highlighting responsible recruitment risks for migrant workers in Taiwan’s textile industry

Issues Employment Relationship Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining Hours of Work Responsible Recruitment

WASHINGTON, February 7, 2025 – Since 2019, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) have worked together with leading apparel companies in a proactive industry effort to address potential forced labor risks for migrant workers in the global apparel supply chain. Over 100 companies are part of this work. Many of these companies are active in our initiative focused on protecting migrant workers in Taiwan by eradicating high recruitment fees and other labor abuses in textile mills. 

Recently, a U.S.-based organization, Transparentem, reported on some of these risks to migrant workers in Taiwan. Most of the issues highlighted in the report—including high recruitment fees and long working hours—are common not only in the textile sector, but across several industry sectors in Taiwan, including agriculture, fishing, construction, consumer electronics, and the domestic care sector. While these issues have been known to some companies prior to this issuance of this report, the fact that many companies do not have a direct buying relationship to these textile mills has been a barrier to effective change. 

Collaborative action with a larger group of informed brands has helped create the conditions necessary for supplier action. During the past year, a group of brands has worked to immediately define and remediate the findings in the Transparentem report with the identified suppliers. Working in specific supplier groups, brands have completed audits that help define the issues in each factory and are now working with the suppliers on corrective action plans that will not only address the specific findings from the audit, but also will address the need for suppliers to change their recruitment and employment policies going forward. The completion of this work is expected to take anywhere from one month to one year, depending on the size of the supplier and the issues identified. 

In addition to factory-by-factory remediation, the issues in Taiwan for migrant workers highlight the need for a collaborative strategy that addresses the root cause of these risks and seeks to change the system. With thousands of textile mills in Taiwan, it is not possible to create scalable and sustainable change one factory at a time. Therefore, in September 2024 over 50 companies who purchase fabric from Taiwan wrote a letter urging the Taiwan authorities to quickly address the systemic issues related to recruitment and employment of migrant workers. In joint letters to the Minister of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Labor, the signatories asked 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. 

Following the letter, a delegation of 20 brands/buyers visited Taiwan in early December 2024 to meet directly with the government, labor stakeholders, suppliers, and industry groups to garner support for action. During the visit, the delegation agreed to collaborate with the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF) to create a working group that will develop agreed upon metrics for responsible recruitment and employment of migrant workers within the textile mill sector. The first meeting of the working group will be in March 2025. Additional meetings with the government and other stakeholders will continue throughout the year.

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The Fair Labor Association (FLA) promotes human rights at work. We are an international network of companies, universities, and civil society organizations collaborating to ensure that millions of people working at the world’s factories and farms are paid fairly and protected from risks to their health, safety, and well-being.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Representing more than 1,000 world famous name brands, AAFA is the trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management and shareholders, its more than 3.2 million U.S. workers, and its contribution of more than $490 billion in annual U.S. retail sales. AAFA drives progress on three key priorities: Brand Protection; Supply Chain & Sourcing; and Trade, Logistics, & Manufacturing. AAFA approaches this work through the lens of purpose-driven leadership in a manner that supports each member’s ability to build and sustain inclusive and diverse cultures, meet and advance ESG goals, and draw upon the latest technology.

FLA CONTACT:
Stacy Hope
communications@fairlabor.org

AAFA CONTACT:
Natalie LaBella
media@aafaglobal.org

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