Jeff Vockrodt, the president and CEO of the Fair Labor Association (FLA), has expressed concern that the termination of funds aimed at eliminating child and forced labor globally will “weaken the ability of US companies to compete with manufacturers in countries where labour standards are less stringent.”
Over the past two decades, initiatives from the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) have played a crucial role in reducing child labor worldwide, resulting in a decrease of 78 million child laborers.
This progress was supported by grants to international organizations, as stated by the US Department of Labor.
However, these initiatives have come to a halt following the decision made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to discontinue all grant activities under ILAB.
According to an email obtained by The Associated Press, programs previously funded by these grants are also being dismantled.
Vockrodt emphasizes, “Companies, workers, and consumers all benefit from strong labour standards in global supply chains.” He further notes that the discontinuation of grant programs overseen by ILAB will severely hinder US efforts to address child labor and forced labor on a global scale. This will significantly impact the ability to effectively combat child labor efforts.
He urges, “I urge the US Administration to reverse these shortsighted cuts, which will not only harm workers but also make it more difficult for companies to comply with US forced labour laws.”
