[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 46072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23248]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Notice for Public
Submissions of Information
This document is a notice for public submissions for the purpose of
gathering information regarding a study being conducted by the
Department of Labor on the development of a methodology for the regular
reporting of working conditions in the production of apparel imported
into the United States. The Department of Labor is now accepting
written information on this subject matter from all interested parties.
The Department is not able to provide financial assistance to those
preparing written submissions.
The Department of Labor is currently undertaking a Congressional-
mandated study on developing a methodology for the regular reporting of
working conditions in the production of apparel imported into the
United States (pursuant to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, 1998,
Public Law 105-78). The Senate Committee report for the Appropriations
Bill reads, in part: ``In addition, the Committee is concerned by the
large and growing problem of abusive treatment of workers around the
world who produce apparel for export to the United States and the
impact of that treatment on companies and workers in the United States.
In an effort to obtain more detailed and accurate information, the
Committee urges the Department to establish a methodology and format
for reporting regularly on the use of sweatshops in the production of
apparel for import into the United States. Because the Department's
reporting capabilities are currently limited to violations by domestic
producers only, the misleading impression that violations of law and
substandard conditions in the industry are far more extensive within
the United States than elsewhere is given. Development of new reporting
methods should help to correct the existing imbalance in the
Department's current reporting on this subject.''
Information provided through public submissions will be considered
by the Department of Labor in preparing its report to Congress.
Materials submitted should be confined to the specific topic of the
study. In particular, the Department's Bureau of International Labor
Affairs is seeking written submissions on the topics noted below:
1. Laws, policies, initiatives, and enforcement strategies to
regulate working conditions in a country's apparel export sector;
efforts being made to strengthen enforcement of a country's labor laws,
focus enforcement resources on the apparel sector, or change labor
laws; and the existence of effective partnerships with local non-
governmental organizations or international initiatives to improve
working conditions in the apparel sector or to eliminate sweatshop
conditions.
2. Available factual information that quantifies the results of the
laws, policies, and initiatives referred to in item 1 above, and the
extent to which such information corresponds to the information
currently reported by the U.S. Department of Labor on sweatshop
conditions in the United States (e.g., number of investigations
conducted, number of investigations with violations found, name of
companies found in violation, amount of back wages recovered, number of
employees receiving back wages, and civil fines imposed).
3. Significant actions that are being taken by non-governmental
organizations in major apparel exporting countries (such as the
development of codes of conduct) that could lead to improved conditions
for apparel workers, and measurable results available of such actions.
4. The extent to which working conditions in the apparel exporting
sector of a country conform to or differ from those in other sectors of
the economy.
This notice is a general solicitation of comments from the public.
The Department is seeking facts or opinions in response to this
solicitation, and is not requiring commenters to supply specific
information about themselves.
DATES: Submitters of information will be required to provide two (2)
copies of their written submission to the Office of International
Economic Affairs by 5:00 p.m., Friday, September 18, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Written submissions should be addressed to the Office of
International Economic Affairs, Bureau of International Labor Affairs,
Room S-5325, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20210, fax: (202)
219-5071.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jorge F. Perez-Lopez, Office of
International Economic Affairs, Bureau of International Labor Affairs,
Room S-5325, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20210,
telephone: (202) 219-7597 ext. 145; fax (202) 219-5071.
All written materials submitted pursuant to this request will be
made part of the record of review referred to above and will be
available for public inspection.
Signed at Washington, D.C. this 25th day of August, 1998.
Jorge F. Perez-Lopez,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-23248 Filed 8-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P
