The AFL-CIO is backing a lawsuit challenging the Department of Labor’s recent decision to end international worker rights programs sponsored by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). Filed by the Solidarity Center, Global March Against Child Labour, and the American Institutes for Research, the lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of unlawfully terminating initiatives aimed at addressing child labor, forced labor, and hazardous working conditions globally.
Programs funded by ILAB have played a vital role in helping workers form independent unions in Mexico, supporting compliance with labor provisions in U.S. trade agreements like the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). These programs have also contributed to efforts to eliminate child labor in the West African cocoa sector, which supplies the U.S. chocolate industry. The AFL-CIO contends that cutting these programs would not only hinder efforts against labor exploitation but also disadvantage American workers by undermining fair competition.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler emphasized the importance of these programs, stating, “When we strengthen labor rights abroad, we protect jobs here at home.” Shuler stressed that ILAB is crucial for ensuring that trade partners adhere to fair labor practices, thereby preventing companies from gaining an unfair competitive advantage through worker exploitation. She argued, “Cutting ILAB is not just short-sighted—it’s illegal. The court should act quickly to restore these critical funds.”
For further details and to view court documents, interested parties can visit solidaritycenter.org.
