A report released recently as part of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) by the labor department has highlighted significant concerns regarding labor law enforcement and the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining in the Latin American country’s non-traditional export (NTE) sectors, including textiles and apparel, particularly for those workers employed on consecutive short-term contracts.
Published in response to a submission filed with the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs by workers’ rights representatives back in July, the report revealed the U.S. government had reviewed the situation and found the current system in place to protect Peruvian workers’ rights to be ineffective.
Last summer’s submission—filed by the International Labor Rights Forum, Perú Equidad and seven Peruvian workers’ organizations—accused the government of failing to enforce its labor laws effectively. It also said that Peru’s law governing employment contracts for NTEs is incompatible with freedom of association and cited specific instances to support its allegation.
