The alliance also includes the American Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), a responsible procurement network, anti-slavery international, Uzbek human rights, the Child Labor Alliance and the National Consumer Alliance.
In a letter to Secretary Chavez-Dereemer, the signing agency expressed deep concern about the termination of the ILAB effort, calling it “enhanced transparency and accountability in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry.”
These organizations are part of the cotton movement, which unites commercial interests and labor representatives to eliminate forced labour and other exploitation within the cotton industry in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
The alliance explained that the ILAB project is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of farmers and workers in the Uzbekistan cotton sector by promoting skills development and advocating compliance with standards, which is to protect the fundamental rights of farmers and workers, in order to comply with the goals of the cotton movement.
The project ensures a fair competition with Uzbek cotton produced under unqualified and pathetic conditions by protecting American workers and businesses, ensuring fair competition with Uzbek cotton produced under unqualified and pathetic conditions, and preventing exploitation through textile and clothing companies to potentially exploit this practice, ensuring fair competition with Uzbek cotton, thus ensuring a priority for American interests.
Furthermore, it argues that contracts maintain American workers’ status by promoting a competitive environment with comparable rights and safeguards.
“On the other hand, eliminating the project has pulled the United States back, allowing Uzbek cotton to weaken American cotton and American farmers, forcing American workers to compete for forced labor and unpleasant labor practices, and allowing cunning textile and apparel companies to benefit from less-affordable trade habits, thus enabling us to engage in huge competitiveness, thus allowing us to provide us with a huge competitiveness that has put one of our competitors in a highly competitive position,” the alliance said.
The project began in August 2022 with the aim of improving the labour situation and preventing forced labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry.
The initiative aims to enhance employees’ ability to advocate for their rights in the workplace.
In addition, the project will assist local cotton business in compliance with global labor standards and maintain reasonable corporate governance principles.
Uzbekistan produces more than one million tons of cotton, making it one of the largest producers in the world.
