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US trade associations urge Trump Administration to restore ILO funding

Sep 10, 2026 United States

US trade associations are urging the Trump administration to restore funding for the International Labour Organization (ILO), warning that reduced involvement could weaken US influence over global labour standards

In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and other organisations representing business, agriculture, industry and retail* called for the immediate restoration and continuation of US funding and participation in the ILO.

The coalition stated that the ILO assists countries in implementing and enforcing internationally recognised labour standards, including measures to combat forced labour, “which is an administration priority”, as demonstrated by the recent Section 301 actions on forced labor and the enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and the US Forced Labor Statute (Section 1307)”.

They also highlighted the ILO’s role in training foreign workers, its presence in major sourcing countries, and its Better Work programme, which promotes labour enforcement and transparency.

According to the letter, these activities support US efforts to tackle forced labour, while also helping to create a fairer competitive environment for American companies and workers.

“A US withdrawal from the ILO would cede control of and leadership at the ILO to countries that do not share American values or the ILO’s fundamental principles and rights at work”, the organisations warned. “Instead”, they added, “these countries could use the ILO to tilt the playing field against American businesses and American workers, weakening the ILO’s focus on combatting forced labor and undermining the US-built ILO core international labor standards”.

They emphasised that US business will also lose their voting rights at the International Labour Conference (ILC), which could have an adverse effect on their global influence and competitiveness.

While acknowledging the need for reforms to improve the ILO’s management, the groups said that the costs of a US withdrawal would outweigh the benefits, urging the administration to continue US participation and funding.

*Signatories: American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), Fair Labor Association (FLA), Global Seafood Alliance, National Fisheries Institute (NFI), National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), National Retail Federation (NRF), Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), US Chamber of Commerce, US Council for International Business (USCIB), US Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)

Image Credits: forbes.com

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