The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has strongly criticized the US Department of Labor's decision to cancel all contracts for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).
AAFA President and CEO Steve Lamar warned that the move would undermine American businesses and workers. “Our members, and their 3.5 million American workers, rely on ILAB to promote a fair global playing field,” he said. “With these grants eliminated, we are shifting from an even playing field to an uphill battle.”
ILAB provides critical support through grants, technical assistance, and direct engagement to improve labor standards worldwide. It helps prevent labor abuses, ensures fair trade practices, and deploys labor attaches to US embassies to gather intelligence and enforce trade agreements. ILAB also plays a vital role in enforcing the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and supports the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Better Work program to enhance transparency in global supply chains.
AAFA Senior Vice President of Policy Nate Herman stressed the negative consequences of the decision. “Eliminating ILAB grants puts American workers and businesses last, exposing them to unfair competition from countries with weak labor standards,” he said.
Among the canceled contracts are programs focused on labor enforcement in Haiti, Jordan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, as well as initiatives against forced labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry and workplace safety efforts in Central America. The “Supporting Safe and Inclusive Work Environments in Lesotho” contract, which combats violence against women, was also terminated.
Earlier this week, AAFA signed a letter urging Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to reinstate ILAB’s contract for monitoring Uzbek cotton. This follows a broader appeal on March 11 to protect ILAB’s programs.
