(2012-04) Better Work Haiti: 4th Biannual Synthesis Report
Summary — This 4th semiannual report by Better Work Haiti assesses compliance with international and national labor standards in the Haitian garment industry under the HOPE II law. It covers evaluations conducted between December 2011 and February 2012, highlighting persistent non-compliance in areas like remuneration, contracts, and occupational health and safety. The report also details advisory services and training provided to factories and workers.
Key Findings
- Persistent high non-compliance in remuneration (90% for minimum wage) and occupational health and safety (high rates across multiple points) in 20 factories evaluated.
- Increased identification of sensitive non-compliance issues like sexual harassment and freedom of association due to improved trust with workers and refined evaluation methods.
- Significant non-compliance in social security contributions (ONA and OFATMA) affecting 75% of factories, with issues including late payments and incorrect percentages.
- Working conditions issues persist, particularly regarding daily breaks, breastfeeding breaks, and accurate recording of working hours.
- Better Work Haiti provided advisory services and training to 660 workers during the reporting period, focusing on management, life skills, and OHS, and facilitated the creation of bipartite worker-management committees in some factories.
Full Description
This fourth semiannual synthesis report from Better Work Haiti, published on April 16, 2012, details the efforts made by garment factories participating in the program to improve compliance with fundamental international and national labor standards under the HOPE II law. It presents the results of compliance evaluations conducted between December 2011 and February 2012, identifying persistent non-compliance in areas such as remuneration (90% non-compliance in minimum wage), contracts and human resources (60% non-compliance), and occupational health and safety (high rates across multiple points). The report also describes the advisory services and training provided by Better Work Haiti between October 2011 and April 2012, focusing on management skills, life skills for workers, and occupational health and safety.
The report emphasizes an increased ability of Better Work Haiti advisors to identify sensitive non-compliance issues, such as sexual harassment and freedom of association, due to improved trust with workers and refined evaluation methodologies. It highlights ongoing challenges in social protection systems (ONA and OFATMA contributions) and working hours, while also noting efforts by factories to address identified deficiencies through action plans and remediation. Future steps include further development of bipartite worker-management committees, continued focus on OHS and social protection, and an upcoming study on production quotas.