US Department of Labor announces $2 million grant solicitation to improve labor conditions in the Republic of Georgia

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced the award of up to $2 million to one or more organizations to achieve improved compliance with labor laws in the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

The aim of the project(s) is to improve government labor laws and respect for international labor standards while enhancing the effectiveness of worker organizations in representing workers' rights and interests. The project(s) will be funded up to four years and six months.

In 2006, the government of Georgia withdrew its support for the labor inspectorate and scaled back legal protections of worker rights. The AFL-CIO submitted a petition to the U.S. Trade Representative in 2010, which is currently under review, to revoke Georgia's benefits under the Generalized System of Preference due to worker rights violations.

The current governing Georgia Dream coalition has passed reforms to the labor code to bring the law more in line with international standards. Georgian officials now seek to implement the new provisions and have expressed interest in re-establishing the labor inspectorate. The project(s) announced today are designed to support these efforts and contribute to more effective dialogue among workers, employers, and government representatives in Georgia.

Applications must be submitted by Oct. 2, 2013, at 5 p.m. EDT electronically via http://www.grants.gov or hard copy to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Procurement Services, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-4307, Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Brenda White.

All cooperative agreement awards will be made by Nov. 22, 2013. The solicitation for grant applications (SCA 13-14) is available online at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/ and http://www.grants.gov.

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs leads the Department of Labor's efforts to ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly and are able to share in the benefits of the global economy. ILAB's mission is to use all available international channels to improve working conditions, raise living standards, protect workers' ability to exercise their rights, and address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations.