(2011-10) Better Work Haiti: 3rd Biannual Synthesis Report
Summary — This is the third semi-annual report by the Better Work Haiti program under the HOPE II legislation. It describes the efforts of garment factories to improve compliance with international and national labor standards, based on compliance evaluations (third visits) conducted between June and September 2011. The report highlights both improvements and persistent areas of non-compliance, particularly in occupational health and safety and working hours.
Key Findings
- Non-compliance in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Working Hours remains high across factories.
- Significant improvements were observed in resolving recruitment-related discrimination issues, as well as in compliance with child labor and forced labor standards.
- Minimum wage compliance remains a major challenge, with 91% of 23 factories evaluated non-compliant regarding production targets for piece-rate workers.
- Freedom of association is limited by lack of union access to factories and allegations of interference or discrimination.
- Twenty out of twenty-three factories do not comply with the legally mandated 90-minute daily break.
Full Description
This third semi-annual report by Better Work Haiti, dated October 16, 2011, assesses the efforts of garment factories to comply with fundamental international labor standards and national labor legislation under the HOPE II law. It presents the results of the third compliance evaluations conducted between June and September 2011, comparing progress with previous cycles. The report details Better Work's evaluation methodology, which covers eight categories of labor standards, including four fundamental ones (child labor, discrimination, forced labor, freedom of association) and four related to national legislation (remuneration, contracts, OHS, working hours).
The findings indicate significant improvements in several areas, particularly in resolving recruitment-related discrimination issues and better compliance regarding child labor and forced labor. However, challenges persist, mainly in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Working Hours categories, where non-compliance rates remain high. The report also highlights Better Work Haiti's efforts in advisory services and training, focusing on OHS, management skills, and human resource management, as well as the establishment of performance improvement consultative committees. Concerns are raised regarding freedom of association and minimum wage compliance.