[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[January 16, 2001]
[Pages 2927-2928]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Action To Eliminate Sweatshops and Abusive Child Labor 
Practices
January 16, 2001

    Today I am pleased to announce new initiatives that build on our 
efforts to put a more human face on the global economy by protecting 
workers, children, and families from abusive and

[[Page 2928]]

unfair labor practices. Around the world, tens of millions of children 
are deprived of their childhood and subjected to the worst forms of 
child labor, slavery, forced or compulsory labor, prostitution, 
pornography, and other kinds of harmful and unsafe work. At the same 
time, many millions of workers toil under conditions that are deplorable 
and unacceptable. These antisweatshop grants and the customs advisory on 
forced and indentured child labor represent additional tools to help 
eliminate sweatshops and abusive child labor across the globe.
    Over the last 8 years, we have made the U.S. a leader in the global 
fight to stamp out abusive labor practices and open the door to 
education and opportunity. I am proud that the U.S. was among the first 
nations to ratify the International Labor Organization's (ILO) 
Convention 182 for Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor. With 
the support of Senator Tom Harkin, we have 
increased our contributions to the ILO's International Program for the 
Elimination of Child Labor fifteenfold from $3 million in 1993 to $45 
million today. We have doubled to $10 million Customs Service resources 
to enforce the ban on the importation of goods made with forced or 
indentured child labor. And last year, we passed a new $37 million 
Department of Labor School Works program to strengthen educational 
systems in developing countries, targeted to areas where abusive child 
labor is prevalent.
    I would like to make a special note that one of the antisweatshop 
grants being announced today is being awarded to the Fair Labor 
Association (FLA), a diverse coalition of manufacturers, consumer 
groups, labor and human rights organizations, and universities dedicated 
to ensuring that products purchased by American consumers were not made 
in sweatshops overseas. The FLA grew out of the Apparel Industry 
Partnership, a coalition we first brought together at the White House in 
1996 to combat sweatshop labor. This pathbreaking partnership was given 
new energy and vitality when Chuck Ruff agreed to be its first chairman. 
Chuck used his unique leadership and coalition-building skills to give 
the FLA a successful start. While Chuck recently passed away, the 
significant accomplishments of the FLA under his leadership will live on 
as one of his many contributions to a better, fairer world.