Volume IV: Consumer Labels and Child Labor U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs 1997 Volume IV: Consumer Labels and U.S. Department of Labor Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs Andrew J. Samet, Deputy Under Secretary 1997 Acknowledgments This report was prepared under the direction of Andrew J. Samet, Deputy Under Secretary for International Labor Affairs (ILAB). The writing, editing, research and coordination of the report was done by the staff of the International Child Labor Program, Sonia A. Rosen, Maureen Jaffe, Maureen McGarr Pettis and Anjali Kataria as well as by Marcia M. Eugenio and Jorge Perez-Lopez of ILAB’s Office of International Economic Affairs. Other staff of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the Office of the Solicitor, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment Standards Administra- tion - Wage and Hour Division (New York Regional Office) the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, and the Office of Public Affairs who made major contributions include: Gabriela Araujo, Kelly W. Bryant II, Elizabeth H. Chua, Carrie Cyphert, Howard (Ron) Dobson, Joyce Fox, Thelma Hackley, Brenda Hoffman, Angelique Larsen, Matthew P. Levin, Hung-Hung (Helen) Li, A. Michaela Meehan, Mark A. Mittelhauser, Terry M. O’Malley, Jim Park, Catalina Ruiz-Healy, Gregory K. Schoepfle, James W. Shea, Robert C. Shelburne, Shirley J. Smith, Ken Swinnerton, Karen F. Travis, Diane Ward, Robert D. Wholey, Barton S. Widom, and Bob Zachariasiewicz. In addition, Department of Labor officials received significant assistance from labor reporting officers and labor attaches in U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. This report is published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs. Copies of this or other reports in ILAB’s child labor series, may be obtained by contacting the International Child Labor Program, Bureau of Interna- tional Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Rm. S-5303, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210. Tel: (202) 208-4843; Fax: (202) 219-4923. The reports are available on the Internet via World-Wide Web: http://www.dol.gov/dol/ilab/ public/media/reports/childnew.htm Other publications in ILAB’s child labor series include: 1. By the Sweat and Toil of Children (Volume I): The Use of Child Labor in U.S. Manufactured and Mined Imports (1994). 2. By the Sweat and Toil of Children (Volume II): The Use of Child Labor in U.S. Agricultural Imports & Forced and Bonded Child Labor (1995). 3. The Apparel Industry and Codes of Conduct: A Solution to the International Child Labor Problem? (1996) [also referred to as “By the Sweat and Toil of Children (Volume III)”]. 4. Forced Labor: The Prostitution of Children (1996) [Symposium Proceedings]. Table of Contents Executive Summary........................................................................................................i I. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 A. Overview .............................................................................................. 1 B. International Child Labor .................................................................... 2 C. Labels and Labor Conditions ............................................................... 4 1. A Short History of Labor Conditions and Labeling ............... 4 a. Trade Union Labels .................................................... 4 b. National Consumers League ...................................... 7 D. Elements of a Child Labor Labeling Program..................................... 9 1. Physical Label ........................................................................ 10 2. Claims Behind the Label ....................................................... 10 3. Administration of a Labeling Program ................................. 10 4. Transparency ......................................................................... 10 5. Monitoring ............................................................................. 11 6. Enforcement .......................................................................... 11 E. Other Private Sector Efforts ............................................................... 11 F. Methodology ...................................................................................... 12 1. Public Hearing ....................................................................... 12 2. Survey of U.S. Importers and Retailers ................................ 13 3. Field Visits ............................................................................. 13 II. Hand-Knotted Carpets .................................................................................... 15 A. Introduction........................................................................................ 15 B. Industry Profile .................................................................................. 15 C. Child Labor in the Hand-Knotted Carpet Industry........................... 19 D. Consumer Labeling Programs in the Hand-Knotted Carpet Industry .................................................................................. 22 1. Introduction ........................................................................... 22 2. RUGMARK ............................................................................. 24 a. Program Overview.................................................... 24 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 26 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 28 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 32 3. The Kaleen Label .................................................................. 35 a. Program Overview.................................................... 35 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 36 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 37 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 38 4. STEP Foundation for fair conditions in carpet production and carpet trade ................................................. 40 a. Program Overview.................................................... 40 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 41 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 43 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 44 5. Care & Fair - Carpet Trade Against Child Labor .................. 46 a. Program Overview.................................................... 46 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 47 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 48 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 49 6. Other Carpet Labeling Efforts ............................................... 50 E. U.S. Carpet Importers’ and Retailers’ Policies on Child Labor ........ 52 1. Survey Results........................................................................ 52 a. Labeling Programs .................................................... 53 b. Codes of Conduct ..................................................... 56 F. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 58 III. Leather Footwear ............................................................................................ 61 A. Introduction........................................................................................ 61 B. Industry Profile .................................................................................. 61 C. Child Labor in the Leather Footwear Industry ................................. 66 D. Consumer Labeling Programs in the Leather Footwear Industry .... 74 1. Introduction ........................................................................... 74 2. Abrinq Foundation for Children’s Rights ............................. 74 a. Program Overview.................................................... 74 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 75 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 77 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 78 3. Pro-Child Institute ................................................................. 79 a. Program Overview.................................................... 79 b. Program Structure ..................................................... 80 c. Program Implementation ......................................... 81 d. Findings from Site Visits ........................................... 82 E. Codes of Conduct in the Leather Footwear Industry....................... 83 1. Survey Results and Information from Site Visits.................. 84 a. Transparency............................................................. 86 b. Monitoring ................................................................. 89 c. Enforcement .............................................................. 92 F. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 92 IV. Soccer Balls ..................................................................................................... 95 A. Introduction........................................................................................ 95 B. Industry Profile .................................................................................