National Labor Relations Board General Counsel and Government of the Dominican Republic to Partner on Workplace Rights
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The National Labor Relations Board’s General Counsel today launched a partnership with the government of the Dominican Republic to build collaborations with their embassy and consulate in the United States and to work together to provide Dominican workers, their employers, and Dominican nationals who own businesses in the United States of America with information, guidance, and access to education and training resources regarding rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer A. Abruzzo and Dominican Republic Ambassador Sonia Guzmán signed the letter of arrangement, which provides that the parties will develop cooperative activities and information sharing, outreach, education, training, and exchange of best practices. Ambassador Guzmán also signed letters of arrangement with the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and Employee Benefits Security Administration.
“Today’s agreement is a crucial step toward achieving our mutual goals. Our communities and our economy are strengthened when workers know their rights and employers and unions know their responsibilities,” said General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. “When workers feel free to exercise the rights to engage in union and protected concerted activities to improve their terms and conditions in the workplace, they advance themselves, their families, and their communities.”
“Let us remember that we are two democratic countries, not perfect, but within the framework of the protection of human rights and the promotion and defense of democratic values we aspire to improve people's quality of life,” said Ambassador Guzmán. “The victory of each program in the Dominican Republic is equivalent to a victory for our shared values and this extends throughout the region.”
The NLRB has signed similar letter of agreement with Mexico in September 2021, and Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador in May 2022. Strengthening partnerships with embassies is part of the General Counsel’s broader initiative to ensuring rights and remedies for immigrant workers.
Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employees from unfair labor practices and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year.