For a two-week period in September 1996,1
Department of Labor officials traveled to six countries - the
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, and the
Philippines - that produce garments for the U.S. market. The
objective of the visits was to learn about the approaches of foreign
garment suppliers to the implementation of the established child
labor policies of U.S. importers. Interviews were held with as many
relevant persons or organizations as possible associated with the
apparel industry, i.e., labor ministry officials, manufacturers,
plant managers, buyers, trade associations, unions, workers,
community activists, human rights groups, organizations concerned
with children's issues, and other non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). 1. Planning of Field Visits
In planning the field visits, Department of Labor officials met
in Washington with a variety of organizations and individuals. Where
meetings were not practical, consultations were held by telephone.
Among others, the Department of Labor consulted with representatives
of U.S. garment importers, labor organizations, the Department of
State, and Washington-based diplomatic representatives of the
countries being visited.
a. U.S. Apparel Importers
Department of Labor officials met with representatives of the
International Mass Retailers Association (IMRA), the National Retail
Federation (NRF) and the American Apparel Manufacturers' Association
(AAMA) to discuss the objectives of the field visits. The Department
of Labor sought input from the three business organizations on
specific individuals and companies in each of the foreign countries
who should be contacted. All three organizations indicated that they
would inform their members about the mission and, where appropriate,
suggested specific individuals and corporations that should be
contacted in each country.
b. Labor Organizations
Department of Labor officials consulted with representatives of
organized labor in the United States in preparation for the foreign
visits.
- Department of Labor officials met with representatives of the
American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) and the
Asian-American Free Labor Institute (AAFLI), the entities within
the AFL-CIO responsible for Latin American and Asian affairs,
respectively. These entities provided advice on
individuals/organizations that Department of Labor officials
should visit in each country and informed their overseas contacts
about the mission.
- Department of Labor officials also consulted with the Union of
Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE), the main
U.S. labor union in the garment industry, for the same purpose.
c. Department of State
The U.S. Embassy in the capital of each country was requested to
assist in the identification of all relevant individuals and
organizations with whom the Department of Labor officials should
meet and, where possible, make appointments for such visits.
d. Foreign Governments
The Department of Labor requested from U.S. Embassies in the six
foreign countries that an appointment be made with high-level
officials of the Department of Labor (or appropriate department) in
each country to discuss the objectives and methodology of the
mission.
2. Conduct of Field Visits
Organizations and persons interviewed by the Department of Labor
officials in each of the six countries are listed in Appendix D. The
categories of individuals interviewed were: government officials
(including legislators), employers, workers, and NGOs. U.S. Embassy
personnel in each of the countries generally accompanied the
Department of Labor officials. At the beginning of each interview,
Department of Labor officials indicated the purpose of the interview
was to gather information for a public report, and any information
collected could be used for that purpose.
3. Plant Visits
The central element of the field visits was the opportunity to
discuss matters related to the existence and implementation of codes
of conduct with managers and workers of plants producing apparel for
the U.S. market.
Information is not publicly available on the universe of foreign
subsidiaries, contractors, and subcontractors of U.S. garment
importers. Information which is available (e.g., membership lists of
apparel manufacturers associations) may not cover the entire
industry. Moreover, publicly available information may be out of
date, thereby not reflecting the current structure of supplier
networks of U.S. garment importers.
For these reasons, Department of Labor officials in each country
developed a sample of garment plants to be visited using information
obtained from garment manufacturers or exporters associations in
each of the countries, U.S. Embassy officials familiar with the
garment industry of the given country, and recommendations from U.S.
labor union representatives and NGOs. U.S. business organizations -
particularly the AAMA - also assisted in this task.
Department of Labor officials sought to visit a representative
sample of the following types of garment plants producing for the
U.S. market:
- U.S.-owned subsidiaries of the 48 companies surveyed;
- U.S. or host country-owned contractors or subcontractors; and
- Third party-owned (e.g., Korea, Taiwan) contractors or
subcontractors.
Boxes III-1 through III-6 list plants, trade associations, and
other garment industry representatives visited by the Department of
Labor in each country:
- In the Dominican Republic, the Department of Labor
visited eighteen garment plants in seven Export Processing Zones
(EPZs) and met with representatives of the Dominican Association
of Free Trade Zones, the American Chamber of Commerce of the
Dominican Republic, the Free Trade Zones Association in Santiago
and San Pedro de Macor's, and other organizations connected to the
apparel export industry (Box III-1).
BOX III - 1
Dominican Republic |
Plant Visits/ Meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Export Processing Zones: |
Zona Franca Los Alcarrizos
Zona Franca Villa Mella
Zona Franca Las Americas
Zona Franca Santiago
Zona Franca La Vega
Zona Franca San Pedro de Macoris
Zona Franca Bonao |
Plants: |
High Quality Products (Los Alcarrizos)
BRATEX Dominicana (Villa Mella)
Hanes Caribe (Las Americas)
Grupo M (Santiago)
Tejidos Flex (Santiago)
Interamericana Products (Santiago)
D'Clase Corporation (Santiago)
Polanco Fashion International (La Vega)
RK Fashion (LA Vega)
Manufactura Borinquena (San Pedro de Macoris)
Undergarment Fashions (san Pedro de Macoris)
Toscana Corporation (San Pedro de Macoris)
Pons, San Pedro (San Pedro de Macoris)
Denisse Fashions (San Pedro de Macoris)
Bi Bong Apparel (Bonao)
Woo Chang Dominican Ind. Co. (Bonao)
Bonahan Apparel (Bonao)
Hingshing Textile (Bonao) |
Trade Associations: |
Dominican Association of Free Trade Zones
(ADOZONA)
American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic
Free Trade Zones Association (Santiago)
Free Trade Zones Association (San Pedro de Macoris) |
- In El Salvador, eight plants in five EPZs were visited,
and meetings were held with the Salvadoran Association for the
Garment Industry and other garment industry representatives (Box
III-2).
BOX III -2
El Salvador |
Plant visits/meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Export Processing Zones: |
Zona Franca El Pedregal
Zona Franca San Marcos
Zona Franca San Bartolo
Export Salva Free Zone
American Park Free Zone |
Plants: |
Confecciones El Pedregal (El Pedregal)
Lindotex (San Marcos)
Mandarin (San Marcos)
C.M.T. Industries (San Bartolo)
Primo Industries (San Bartolo)
Textiles Lourdes Lmitados (Export Salva)
Hilasal (Export Salva)
Industrias Caribbean Apparel, S.A. (InCasa)(American Park) |
Trade Associations: |
Salvadoran Association of the Garment Industry (ASIC) |
Other: |
Hampton Industries
RAMADA,S.A.
Provocaciones, S.A.
T&T Systems, S.A.
Sara Lee Intimates
AMERITEX |
- In Guatemala, visits were made to nine plants in
Guatemala City, Chimaltenango, and San Pedro de Sacatepequez, and
meetings were held with representatives of the Apparel
Manufacturers Exporters Committee, the Non Traditional Products
Exporters Association, the Commission for Coordination of
Agricultural, Industrial, Commercial, and Financial Associations,
and other garment industry representatives (Box III-3).
BOX III - 3
Guatemala |
Plants visits/meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Plants: |
Don Sang (Chimaltenango)
Dong Bang (Chimaltenango)
Lindotex (Chimaltenango)
Maquila Cardiz (Guatemala City)
Confecciones Caribe (Guatemala City)
Camisas Modernas I (Guatemala City)
Villa Exportadora (San Pedro de Sacatepequez) (14 shops)
Industrias G & V (San Pedro de Sacatepequez)
Mundivest (San Pedro de Sacatepequez) |
Trade Associations: |
Non Traditional Products Exporters Association
(GEXPRONT)
Apparel Manufacturer Exporters Commission (VESTEX)
Committee for Coordination of Agricultural, Industrial,
Commercial, and Financial Associations (CACIF)
Guatemalan Chamber of business |
- In Honduras, visits were made to twelve plants, ten in
five EPZs and two outside of the zones; meetings were held with
the Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports, the
Honduran American Chamber of Commerce, and the Honduran
Association of Maquilas as well as with other organizations
connected with the apparel export industry (Box III-4).
BOX III - 4
Honduras |
Plan Visit/meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Export Processing Zones: |
Parque Industrial Inhdelva (Choloma)
Zonas Industriales continental (La Lima)
Zip Bufalo Industrial Park (Villanueva)
Zona Libre Choloma
Galaxy Industrial Park |
Plants: |
Mainta-OshKosh B'Gosh (Inhdelva)
Exportaciones Textiles Exportex (Inhdelva)
Certified Apparel Services of Honduras (San Pedro Sula)
KIMI of Honduras (La Lima)
EuroModa (San Pedro Sula)
Confecciones Dos Caminos I-Fruit of the Loom (ZIP Bufalo)
Confecciones Dos Caminos II-Fruit of the Loom (ZIP Bufalo)
Fabena Fashions (ZIP Bufalo)
Olga de Villanueva-Warnaco (ZIP Bufalo)
Global Fashions (Zona Libre Choloma)
Cosmo Co. (Galaxy)
Fenix co. (Galaxy) |
Trade Associations: |
Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports (FIDE)
Honduran American Chamber of Commerce
Honduran Association of Maquilas |
Other: |
Marssol International
Fashion Mart of Honduras
Manufactura Textil MATEX
ZIP Buena Vista
Inter Fashions
Banco Ficohsa |
- In India, Department of Labor officials visited nine
plants and met with the American Business Council, the Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Apparel Export
Promotion Council, and other garment industry representatives in
New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Chandigarh and Tirupur (Box
III-5).
BOX III - 5
India |
Plan Visit/meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Plants: |
Duke fabrics Ltd. (Ludhiana)
R.B. Knit Exports (Ludhiana)
Ambattur Clothing company Pvt. Ltd. (Madras)
Zoro Garments Pvt. Ltd. (Madras)
Orient Craft Ltd.
Pankaj Enterprises (New Delhi)
Chenduran Textiles (Tirupur)
Ms. Poppys Knitwear (Tirupur)
Yuvraj International (Tirupur) |
Trade Associations: |
American Business Council (Bombay, Madras, New Delhi)
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (New
Delhi)
All India Employers Association (New Delhi)
Delhi Factory Owners' Federation (New Delhi)
Progress Harmony Development (PHD)
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chandigarh and New Delhi)
Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Calcutta)
Tirupur Exporters' Association (Tirupur)
Apparel Export Promotion Council (Madras and New Delhi) |
Other: |
Triburg Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (New Delhi)
Associated Indian Exports Buying Office (New Delhi) |
- In the Philippines, visits were made to eighteen plants
and three EPZs, and meetings were held with the Garment Industry
Subcommittee of the American Chamber of Commerce and several other
apparel industry representatives (Box III-6).
BOX III - 6
Philippines |
Plan Visit/meetings with Apparel Industry
Representatives |
Export Processing Zones: |
Cavite Export Processing Zone
Clark Export Processing Zone
Mactan Export Processing Zone (Cebu) |
Plants: |
Jordache Industries
Castleberry Fashions (Manila)
Castleberry Subcontractor (Santa Rita, Batangas)
Castleberry Subcontractor (Batangas City, Batangas)
Castleberry Subcontractor (San Jose, Batangas)
V.T. Fashions (Cavite EPZ)
All Asia Fashions (Quezon City)
Woo Chang Co. (Cavite EPZ)
L & T International (Clark EPZ)
A La Mode Garments (Quezon City)
Levi Strauss, Philippines (Makati)
Mate International (Cebu)
Ten Bears, Inc. (Cebu)
Go Thong, Inc. (Cebu)
Prego-Praxis (Cebu)
Mactan Apparel (Cebu)
Globalwear Manufacturing Corp. (Cebu)
Tokyo Dress, Cebu Corp. (Cebu) |
Trade Association: |
American Chamber of commerce, Garment Industry sub-Committee |
Other: |
Robelin Resources (Makati, Manila)
Renzo
Gelmart Fashions
Everfit Manufacturing (Paranaque)
Liz Claiborne, International (Makati) |
In all, Department of Labor officials visited 74
apparel-producing plants and 20 export processing zones. They also
met with key officials of the garment industry - and more
particularly of the garment export industry - in all six countries.
Four of the 74 plants visited by Department of Labor officials
were found not to be exporting at the present time to the U.S.
market and were determined to be outside of the scope of the present
study.2 The
observations made in this chapter with regard to the implementation
experiences of foreign suppliers with codes of conduct of U.S.
importers that address child labor are therefore based on the 70
plant visits that fell within the scope of the study. Nine of the 74
plants visited, or 12 percent of the total, were subcontractors to
foreign companies that exported garments to the United States.3
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