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UNI Global Union General Secretary Christy Hoffman recently participated in a significant delegation to Bangladesh. The visit, organized by the U.S. State Department and Department of Labor, aimed to highlight urgent issues affecting garment workers in the country. These include low wages, challenges in union registration, and the blacklisting and criminal charges against workers and activists.
Hoffman remarked, “Just as Rana Plaza forced the country to take on the challenge of safe factories, this moment could be an opportunity for deep change. We urge Bangladesh to choose ‘high road’ development and to reject a race to the bottom.”
Hoffman joined Scott Nova from the Worker Rights Consortium as labor experts during the visit. The delegation was led by State Department Special Representative Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez and Department of Labor Deputy Undersecretary Thea Lee. Senior leaders from major American brands such as Gap Inc., PVH Corp., and VF Corporation also took part. These companies collectively purchase around US$1.8 billion annually from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment sector.
