LD, El Salvador

On December 14, 2016, the Fair Labor Association accepted for review a Third Party Complaint filed by the Federación Sindical de El Salvador (FESS) with regard to the factory L.D. El Salvador S.A. de C.V.  The complainant alleged a number of violations of the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct at L.D. with respect to freedom of association, health and safety, hours of work, and compensation.  L.D. produces Izod and Van Heusen cotton/polyester boys’ and men’s shirts for PVH licensee Global Brands Group Youth and Men’s (formerly Fishman & Tobin Apparel and Kids Headquarters).  PVH is a Participating Company of the FLA, and at the time of the complaint Kids Headquarters was a Category B Licensee of the FLA.

The report includes 14 recommendations for improvement for the L.D. factory, along with the corrective action plan developed by L.D. management in conjunction with PVH and its licensee, and the progress of that plan. The remediation plan is comprehensive and addresses all major findings and recommendations from the assessor.  Several of the components of the remediation plan are advanced in their implementation, among them the improvement of policies and procedures on freedom of association led by a very reputable outside expert; training of workers, managers, and supervisors on freedom of association, communications, and industrial relations; construction of a lactating room for mothers equipped with refrigeration equipment and under the supervision of the factory’s doctor; and the contracting with third party experts to conduct ergonomic risk analysis of all job positions.

Note: PVH ended its affiliation with the Fair Labor Association in December 2019.