Corporate Responsibility and Labour Rights

Chapter 13

The fox guarding the chicken coop:garment industry monitoring inLos Angeles

Laura Dubinsky

INTRODUCTION

In 1992, with great fanfare, Guess? Inc became the first American clothing manufacturer to sign an agreement with the Department of Labor (DOL) whereby contractors would be monitored for compliance with labour standards. The agreement between Southern California's largest clothing employer and the Department of Labor was hailed by the government and the press as a blueprint for corporate responsibility. The Guess-DOL monitoring format has since been replicated with enthusiasm, first in other agreements between the DOL and garment ...