The ambassadors of El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic joined Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis today to sign an historic partnership to protect the labor rights of migrant workers from these countries who are employed in the United States.
The signing kicks off National Labor Rights Week, Aug. 29-Sept. 5. “Women in the Workplace” is the focus of this year’s Labor Rights Week. Migrant women are at risk of wage theft and safety violations, sexual harassment, workplace violence and gender discrimination.
This week, events are slated in 50 U.S. cities with Mexican and Central American consulates. Consulate officials will work with the Department of Labor, state labor authorities, labor unions, faith leaders and community groups to inform migrant workers about their rights and the resources available if those rights are violated.
Speaking at the signing ceremony today in Washington, D.C., Solis said:
Today, we renew our promise to everyone who does an honest day’s work in America. No matter how you got here or how long you plan to stay, you have rights. You have the right to a safe and healthy workplace and the right to a legal wage.
The partnerships are pledges between the governments to work together to educate migrant workers about their labor rights and prevent abuses in the workplace.
During the past year, Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala signed similar agreements and Solis said the Labor Department is pursuing accords with governments from southeast Asia to educate and protect their vulnerable workers as well. She added:
We understand that many migrant workers in America are afraid to report mistreatment because it can lead to more abuse, the loss of their job or deportation. With these partnerships, we seek to remove these fears. The beauty of this program is its simplicity: We’re making it easier for immigrant workers to come forward by partnering with the institutions where they are most likely to go for help—their own country’s consulates.
