STATEMENT ON ANNIVERSARY OF RANZA PLAZA BUILDING COLLAPSE IN BANGLADESH

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Joint Statement on the Second Anniversary of the Rana Plaza Disaster in Bangladesh

WASHINGTON — The text of the following statement was released by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry; High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini; U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez; EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen; U.S. Trade Representative Michael B. G. Froman; EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström; U.S. Agency for International Development Acting Administrator Alfonso E. Lenhardt; and EU Commissioner in charge of International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.

"Today we mark the passage of two years since the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that claimed over 1,100 lives and injured many more. We join the people of Bangladesh in mourning those who lost their lives and remain mindful of the difficult struggle for those who survived.

In the aftermath of the Rana Plaza collapse, the European Union, the United States and the International Labor Organization (ILO) joined with Bangladesh to undertake a series of significant commitments to foster respect for fundamental labor rights and ensure worker safety and health in the garment sector. The Partners announced the Sustainability Compact for Bangladesh — a statement of principles and commitments designed to bring about a lasting transformation in the sector.

"Today, on the commemoration of the Rana Plaza collapse, we take note of the progress that has been made, but also the urgent work that remains.

"Over the past two years, the government of Bangladesh has amended its Labor Law to strengthen certain aspects of freedom of association, collective bargaining and occupational health and safety; recruited and begun training a significant number of new factory inspectors; started fire and structural safety assessments and begun posting online factory safety information; established a hotline to report labor concerns; and since January 2013, registered approximately 300 new trade unions. Similarly, we applaud the completion by the two private sector initiatives, the Accord and the Alliance, of their efforts to assess the structural and fire safety of over 2,000 RMG factories, the related closure of over 30 factories that posed the greatest risk of catastrophic failure, and remedial actions taken so far.

"However, significant work remains to be done under the Sustainability Compact to realize its goals. In particular, we encourage and support the Government of Bangladesh's efforts to continue reforming its labor laws, in close consultations with the ILO, complete the safety inspections of all RMG factories and continue to register unions in a timely and transparent way. We urge the government to issue — without further delays — the implementing rules for Bangladesh Labor Act, consistent with international labor standards. Similarly, we call upon the Government of Bangladesh to enact legislation on economic processing zones that ensures workers inside the zones enjoy rights commensurate with those outside the zones.

"Also of pressing concern, the government should respond swiftly to cases of unfair labor practices, violence, and harassment against trade unions and workers' representatives. We note that advances in health, safety, and labor rights will remain fragile and impermanent if workers are unable to exercise those rights and organize to represent their interests and concerns.

"Our commitment to Bangladesh is strong and enduring. The European Union and the United States, in close cooperation with the ILO, will remain closely engaged with the Government of Bangladesh in the spirit of partnership to continue our work together to ensure that economic growth and sustainable development go hand-in-hand with workers' safety and rights."

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE Statement by the Press Secretary on Harris v. Quinn

Collective bargaining is a fundamental right that helped build America’s middle class. The ability of public servants to collectively bargain is crucial to ensuring both a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work and the high quality service citizens expect and deserve from their government.

For almost 40 years, the Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment allows state and local governments to require employees to pay a fair share of a union’s expenses for representing that worker. We are disappointed that the Supreme Court has carved out a group of workers – homecare workers who provide critical support to the elderly and people with disabilities in their own homes. 

The collective bargaining model in Illinois resulted in fairer pay and benefits for hardworking caregivers as well as improved training, safety and health protections, and tools to help those who need care to find it.  The Court’s decision will not only make it significantly harder for these dedicated employees to get a fair shake in exchange for their hard work, but will make it harder for states and cities to ensure the elderly and Americans with disabilities get the care they need and deserve.

The Administration remains committed to defending collective bargaining rights.

COURT UPHOLDS NLRB UNION RECOGNIZATION RULING

FROM: U.S. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD

In a decision issued Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a 2010 National Labor Relations Board ruling that an employer and union did not violate federal labor law by entering into an agreement establishing principles for bargaining if employees selected union representation.
　

The case involved an agreement signed by the United Auto Workers union and auto parts manufacturer Dana Corp. setting ground rules for union organizing at a plant in St. Johns, Michigan, and establishing a framework for negotiations if a majority of workers chose the union. After the agreement was signed, several workers filed charges with the NLRB alleging that the agreement constituted an unlawful recognition of the union. Ultimately, the union did not win majority support and the plant closed, but the case continued.

While acknowledging "thoughtful majority and dissenting opinions" in the 2-to-1 Board decision, the Court deferred to the Board’s conclusion that the agreement did not unlawfully recognize the union and "did no more than create a framework for future collective bargaining." It further found that "the Board was within its discretion to allow some substantive terms to be determined between the employer and union prior to recognition, as long as that agreement did not ultimately impact employees’ choice regarding union representation."

In upholding the Board decision, the Court denied a petition for review filed by two of the workers who originally filed charges.

The Court found that the Board had properly distinguished the Dana agreement from one that was held to be unlawful in Majestic Weaving, 147 NLRB 859 (1964).