LABOR MINISTRY CALLS LATEST NLC REPORT "OLD NEWS";

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002392

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USTR SAUMS, ROSENBERG, KARESH
STATE PASS TO DOL JAMES RUDE
DHS FOR U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017
TAGS: ELAB ETRD GTIP KTEX BG JO
SUBJECT: LABOR MINISTRY CALLS LATEST NLC REPORT "OLD NEWS";
PREPARING UPDATE ON ACTION PLAN

REF: AMMAN 2211

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (SBU) Summary: On June 1, the New York-based National
Labor Committee (NLC) released a third report on labor
violations at five factories in Jordan. Jordan's Ministry of
Labor (MOL) responded in a press release that MOL welcomed
the NLC's efforts to help identify labor violations, but had
reservations on the latest report which seemed to contain
inaccurate and outdated information. MOL continues to
investigate any allegations of labor violations that it
receives, and expects to issue shortly the results of its
investigations in response to the NLC's March 2007 report, as
well as an update on progress on the MOL's action plan
released in March 2007 (to be reported septel). End Summary.


2. (SBU) Minister of Labor Bassem Salem told the Ambassador
June 5 that although grateful for the NLC's support in
exposing labor violations and improving workforce conditions,
the MOL was already addressing many of the latest allegations
in the June 1 NLC report, which Salem called "old news." A
similar message was publicly conveyed in a June 5 press
release by the Ministry, which also highlighted that the MOL
has moved away from reacting to problems after they occur, to
proactively preempting violations before they happen. The
Minister also indicated that he plans to publicly report in
coming days on improvements made in Jordan's inspections
regime, although there are still gaps that need to be filled.


3. (C) USAID-funded Advisor to the Minister of Labor, Lejo
Sibbel, told Econoff June 5 that the MOL plans to investigate
the allegations in the June 1 NLC report, as it has been
doing in response to any allegations received. At first
glance, however, he said that at least 50 percent of the
information is inaccurate and confirmed that the data is
outdated. For example, much of the information provided on
the "Concord" factory was already in the NLC's March 2007
report. Additionally, the report states that four workers
from the "Central Clothing" factory were imprisoned based on
false charges of protesting the death of a co-worker, but
MOL's initial investigations have revealed that two workers
were actually arrested based on complaints that they stole
samples. Ten employees from the "Fashion Curve" factory were
also reportedly jailed on false charges, but MOL has so far
confirmed that only one out of the ten has been in jail since
May 14 based on complaints from fellow workers that he beat
them.


4. (C) According to MOL Advisor Sibbel, one problem with the
NLC's reporting is that it is often based on one subjective
source, whose facts are not always checked. He added,
however, that the MOL has been developing a relationship with
the NLC, which now provides the Ministry with its reports
directly, perhaps making it easier in the future to stress to
the NLC the importance of any reports containing verified
information.


5. (C) Further to Ref A, Sibbel noted that conditions have
improved dramatically at the "Classic Fashions" factory since
an employee died on May 8 after working a 22-hour shift.
Apparently, Classic's Managing Director confided to Sibbel
that he did not realize what was actually going on in his
factory before the worker's death occurred. The Director
claims that he has since ensured that the length of overtime
worked in the factory is within regulations, conducted town
hall meetings with workers, and put a stop to any abuse by
supervisors.
Hale