Solidarity Center receives $750K award from US Labor Department
for a worker rights project in the country of Georgia

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs announced a $750,000 award for a cooperative agreement with the American Center for International Labor Solidarity, also known as the Solidarity Center, to implement a project to advance worker rights in the country of Georgia.

The Government of Georgia has indicated its willingness to bring Georgia's labor laws into compliance with International Labor Organization standards and establish an effective enforcement mechanism. This project will help achieve those goals by improving worker organizations' ability to effectively engage the government and employers. In particular, the project will seek to:

1. improve worker organizations' capacity to conduct outreach and training for members regarding Georgian labor law and enforcement, with a focus on rights related to occupational safety and health, and
2. increase worker organizations' effectiveness in representing workers in collective bargaining, dispute resolution, legal proceedings, and dialogue with the government and employers.

Since 1995, ILAB has worked with other governments and international organizations to identify assistance that countries may require to improve the labor conditions of their workers. ILAB's Office of Trade and Labor Affairs currently provides approximately $76 million in technical assistance to improve worker rights, livelihoods and labor law compliance in more than 72 countries around the world.

For more information about ILAB's technical assistance projects, visit http://www.dol.gov/ilab/.