Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally | The White House

Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to enhance United States policy and our Nation’s approach to protecting and promoting worker rights at home and around the world, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy.

Worker empowerment is essential to the advancement of sustainable economic growth, inclusive international development, human rights, democratic resilience, fair competition, and growing a strong middle class in the United States and abroad. Labor rights are also key to our national and economic security and to an effective foreign policy. Accordingly, my Administration is committed to ensuring high labor standards, bringing workers’ voices to the decision-making table, and enforcing rules against unfair labor practices, including forced labor and denial of the right to organize. These efforts will contribute to our aim of bolstering a fair and open international economic system that allows our companies to remain competitive and also protects our working families. Through the Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment established by Executive Order 14025 of April 26, 2021 (Worker Organizing and Empowerment), and other initiatives, my Administration has taken significant measures to restore American workers’ voices and power in the workplace, including within executive departments and agencies (agencies). To fully realize the objectives of advancing worker empowerment, rights, and high labor standards, the United States must extend its efforts globally.

It is the policy of my Administration to pursue a whole-of-government approach to advancing worker empowerment and organizing, workers’ rights, and labor standards globally. My Administration will undertake an ambitious and comprehensive Federal Government policy on global labor rights and standards, elevating the United States’ global leadership on labor rights and standards.

Sec. 2. Approach.

In support of workers and our national security interests, my Administration will consider actions to integrate and elevate workers’ rights and the promotion of high labor standards in our foreign, international development, trade, climate, and global economic policy priorities. When taking actions under section 3 of this memorandum, agencies shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider ways to:

• promote Government-wide coherence on the policies set forth in section 1 of this memorandum;
• draw from expertise across the executive branch to implement actions consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this memorandum;
• build internal capacity within the executive branch, respond quickly to emerging challenges, highlight innovations and evidence-based best practices for furthering worker rights and empowerment, and actively monitor and evaluate the Federal Government’s progress in implementing this memorandum;
• promote inclusive labor markets and the rights of all workers, including temporary workers, gig and platform workers, workers in non-standard forms of employment, and workers in the informal economy that is unregulated by governments and leaves workers outside of the coverage of labor law and social policies;
• strengthen the rights of migrant workers and promote the fair recruitment of workers seeking employment-based visas overseas;
• account for the particular needs of women; persons with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals; other members of underserved communities, as that term is defined in Executive Order 14091 of February 16, 2023 (Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government); and other persons who are historically underrepresented or vulnerable to labor abuses; and
• engage external stakeholders, including workers, labor organizations, trade unions, and other civil society groups, as well as employers and government officials, to guide the effective implementation of this memorandum.

Sec. 3. Execution.

The policy set forth in section 1 of this memorandum shall be implemented through the following actions, consistent with agency missions and applicable law:

1. Agencies engaged abroad, as that term is defined in section 4(b) of this memorandum, shall engage with governments, workers, labor organizations and trade unions, civil society, and the private sector, at home and abroad and as appropriate, to protect and promote respect for internationally recognized labor rights, including the prevention of forced labor, child labor, and related abuses. Specifically, and as appropriate:
• Agencies engaged abroad shall conduct regular and robust engagement on labor issues, worker empowerment, and worker rights with labor stakeholders at home and abroad prior to, during, and after pursuing high-level missions and negotiations abroad. Such engagement shall include meetings with democratically elected trade union leaders, workers, defenders of labor rights, and other labor advocates as a part of high-level engagements and consultative processes.
• Agencies engaged abroad shall use a variety of diplomatic channels, including at high levels, to elevate key labor issues; advance internationally recognized labor rights; prevent labor abuses; strategically address challenges to the exercise of labor rights, including efforts to impede union registration, abuse migrant workers, close space for labor defenders, derogate labor laws, or restrict fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression; and raise cases of concern in support of meaningful remediation of labor violations.
• Agencies engaged abroad shall develop contingency plans for strikes and employer actions against workers that may affect the conduct of official Federal Government business abroad, consistent with this memorandum.
• Agencies engaged abroad shall consider actions to promote, including within the private sector, high labor standards; high-road investment that leads to well-paying, safe, healthy, decent jobs with respect for labor rights; and innovative joint worker-management labor compliance initiatives that advance robust monitoring of and compliance with labor rights both domestically and abroad. Agencies engaged abroad shall also invite labor experts and external labor stakeholders to events and conferences related to international trade, commerce, climate and energy, and financing when possible.
• The Secretary of State shall direct Chiefs of Mission, with guidance from the Special Representative for International Labor Affairs and input from the Secretary of Labor, to directly engage in labor diplomacy, enhance programming and public diplomacy on workers and internationally recognized labor rights, and integrate labor rights promotion and decent work outcomes into country strategy development. The Secretary of State shall instruct Chiefs of Mission to encourage foreign companies and investors to uphold high labor standards

  SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
  • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

  • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
  • Target 8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.
  • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
  • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
  • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.

  3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

  • Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group.
  • Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status.
  • Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destination.
  • Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.
  • Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries that have national development plans that are fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

  SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  SDGs	Targets	Indicators
  SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth	Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.	Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group.
  SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Target 8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.	Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status.
  	Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.	Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destination.
  SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.	Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.
  SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.	Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries that have national development plans that are fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

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  Source: whitehouse.gov

   

  

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