Fifty global brands organised by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA), have called on Taiwan to ensure that responsible business practices are consistently and sustainably applied in the recruitment of migrant workers to Taiwan, especially those employed in Taiwan’s textile mills.

In joint letters to the Minister of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Labor, the signatories urged the government to prohibit brokers from charging recruitment fees and associated costs to workers; protect and promote workers’ freedom of association, including migrant workers’ access to unions or independent workers’ associations; protect migrant workers through robust agreements with sending countries; and streamline the application process for migrant workers who want to change employers, among other suggestions for regulatory changes.

The letters read in part, “Implementing these changes will be a good start in providing confidence to migrant workers, and to companies sourcing from Taiwan, that migrant workers in Taiwan are protected by a strong safety net and will not experience unethical recruitment or poor working conditions. We believe that collaboration between governments, civil society, and the private sector is essential to promoting and expanding ethical and sustainable business practices in Taiwan.”

According to Taiwan News, the letters also said Taiwan has made “tremendous strides to protect migrant workers,” but more needs to be done. Eight recommendations have been made to better protect migrant workers’ rights. These included legal changes, international agreements, increasing unionisation, and more resources for government agencies.

Taiwan should create new regulations or laws to prohibit brokers from charging recruitment fees to workers, the letters said. They noted that under International Labor Organization standards, the employer is expected to pay costs associated with employing staff, and that fees for migrant workers charged by recruitment agencies should be paid by the employer.