GoodElectronics has signed on to a joint letter with the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) and other organisations addressing the Fair Labour Association (FLA) on its Fair Compensation work plan. GoodElectronics is worried about the lack of urgency and the undefined timelines of the FLA plans. Most of all, GoodElectronics is worried about the lack of enforcement and the lack of accountability that permeate the FLA plans. Apple is a member company of FLA
GoodElectronics has signed on to a joint letter with the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) and other organisations addressing the Fair Labour Association (FLA) on the recently shared FLA Fair Compensation work plan.
While GoodElectronics appreciates FLA’s efforts to work with its members companies, including Apple, on better wages, GoodElectronics is worried about the lack of urgency and the undefined timelines of the FLA plans. Most of all, GoodElectronics is worried about the lack of enforcement and the lack of accountability that permeate the FLA plans.
GoodElectronics, ILRF and the co-signees are asking the FLA to revise its living wage strategy to focus on member company commitments to pay living wages, according to a credible benchmark, throughout their operations and supply chains. To this end, the FLA should require its member companies including Apple to structure their business relationships with suppliers, both in terms of price and volume, in such a way that living wages can feasibly be paid. The FLA also should require Apple and the other firms to ensure that workers in their own operations and suppliers’ facilities have the rights and freedom to organize and bargain over wages. It should require FLA members to disclose the factories in their supply chains, in order to enable transparency concerning whether these commitments are being met. And, most importantly, the FLA should require its member companies to ensure that workers throughout their supply chains are paid a living wage and adopt strict accountability measures to enforce this requirement.
Next week Tuesday 3 February, the FLA is organising a panel discussion on wages as part of the FLA Board of Directors in Washington, DC. The signees to the letter call upon the FLA to convene a transparent public debate, hoping that the result of such a debate will bring about a significant shift in the proposed FLA strategy.
