Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Notice for Public Submissions of Information

[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]
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