US Department of Labor announces a grant of more than $5 million for Better Work program in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a grant award of more than $5.3 million to the International Labor Organization to support the global Better Work program by implementing projects in Bangladesh and continuing projects in Cambodia and Vietnam. The grant was awarded by the department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

Better Work is a unique partnership program of the International Labor Organization and the International Finance Corp. that seeks to improve labor conditions in global supply chains. The Better Work program monitors conditions in export factories, publishes the results in a transparent manner and assists suppliers to comply with labor standards that many buyers and customers demand.

"The goal is to replicate this highly successful strategy, first developed in Cambodia 10 years ago, in countries that protect their workers' rights while promoting development," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

Under the grant, the Better Work program will focus on compliance with labor standards in the garment and other industries in these three countries. The project will engage the ministries of labor, factory managers, multinational buyers, employer organizations and trade unions, and provide guidance and solutions to improve compliance with labor laws in ways that increase the viability of companies, as well as the livelihoods and working conditions of workers.