Responding to the ethical imperative to respect and protect the basic rights of working men and women, and noting the experience of our immigrant forebears as sweatshop laborers, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) reaffirms its commitment to safe, decent, secure working conditions and to the campaign to eliminate sweatshops and end exploitative child labor. The organized Jewish community has long been involved in these efforts and has consistently supported the basic right of working men and women to improve their working conditions. Issues of workers’ rights are fundamental to our beliefs. As the Torah states unequivocally, “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute worker, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land” (Deuteronomy 24:14). We strive to ensure that all workers, regardless of industry, regardless of rank, are treated with dignity and fairness.

Unfortunately, serious abuses persist in the United States and round the world. Workers in some places, including children, are still forced to labor in unsafe conditions. In many countries, children work in near slavery, for no pay, and as virtual prisoners in factories. The JCPA welcomes efforts by some industries and individual business organizations to monitor child labor and sweatshop violations in the manufacture of the products they sell. However, unless they provide for independent third party monitors that conduct unannounced inspections of manufacturing facilities, there is no assurance that monitoring will succeed in exposing these abuses.

In light of continuing sweatshop and child labor abuses, the JCPA therefore resolves to:

Share

Next Up:

Death Penalty

Take Action Donate

October 16, 2025

Antisemitism and Democracy

October 13, 2025

JCPA Welcomes Israeli Hostages Back Home

October 9, 2025

Director of Communications

October 6, 2025

JCPA Marks Sukkot Amid Joy and Pain Two Years After October 7th Attacks

October 3, 2025

JCPA Heartbroken by Deadly Attack on Manchester Synagogue on Yom Kippur

October 1, 2025

JCPA in New York Times on Social Media Polarization

September 29, 2025

X-posed: Antisemitism on X

September 29, 2025

X-posed: Antisemitism on X

September 29, 2025

New Report Exposes X/Twitter as One of the Most Dangerous Vehicles in History for Spreading Antisemitism

September 29, 2025

CNN: Musk’s X is ‘go-to platform’ for antisemitism, study finds