WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) on Monday will travel to Bangladesh for a three-day visit, a trip that follows the suspension of Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits for Bangladesh because of its failure to meet labor eligibility criteria. During the visit, Rep. Levin plans to visit multiple garment factories, meet with factory workers and business leaders as well as high-ranking government officials and non-governmental organization officials.
Over the last several months, Rep. Levin has:
* Applauded the Obama administration’s decision in June to suspend GSP trade benefits for Bangladesh.
* Urged Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a letter with House Democratic leaders to join in a comprehensive, concrete and coordinated plan to ensure worker safety and secure workers’ rights in Bangladesh.
* Called upon nine separate U.S. retailers - in a letter with House Democratic leaders - to join a global coalition supporting a May 12 Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, developed by the Worker Rights Consortium and a number of key stakeholders.
* Urged the Obama administration - in a letter to the President with Rep. George Miller - to convene representatives of the European and American retailers, the Bangladeshi garment industry, garment workers, their unions and the government, the International Labor Organization, and non-governmental organizations to facilitate the development of a concrete plan of action to address the range of issues relating to working conditions and worker rights in the garment sector.
