JMA Congratulates the City of Los Angeles on Passing a Motion to Safeguard Against Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Unsafe or Unlawful Working Conditions in Public Purchasing
Los Angeles—Jobs to Move America congratulates the City of Los Angeles on passing a new
motion, led by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, that strengthens responsible public
procurement and responds to recent findings of egregious labor abuses in auto manufacturing
supply chains.
The newly approved motion directs a review of the City’s vehicle purchasing policies to ensure
they align with existing standards for strong oversight and responsible public spending so
taxpayer dollars never support exploitation.
This motion builds on Los Angeles’ “Sweat-Free Procurement Ordinance,” which bans
purchasing goods or services made with “sweatshop” labor. This move will ensure Los Angeles
continues to lead in protecting and advancing workers’ rights and ethical purchasing practices.
The city’s action follows reports of troubling labor and human rights violations in U.S. automotive manufacturing supply chains documented by Jobs to Move America in its Hidden in Plain Sight report, including violations that occurred at companies within Hyundai-Kia’s U.S. supply chain. JMA is part of a national coalition —Recall Injustice at Hyundai Kia— that calls on Hyundai-Kia to make commitments to their workers and local communities by negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement.
“With this win, we are sending a clear message: our public dollars should never support child
labor, forced labor, or unsafe working conditions. As a city, we need to do everything we can to
create good, safe jobs, and I want to thank Jobs to Move America for helping to expose serious
abuses in the auto industry that demand action.” – Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo
Soto-Martinez
Teto Huezo, Western States Director at JMA said, “We thank the LA City Council and
Councilmember Hugo Soto‑Martínez for passing this motion. Los Angeles will now be a model
for other cities who want to take these abuses seriously and ensure public dollars are used to
protect workers and uphold our city’s values. We need the world’s biggest auto companies to
build the clean electric cars of the future, but not at the expense of their workers and
surrounding communities.”
About Jobs to Move America
Jobs to Move America (JMA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, independent research to develop the ideas, practices, and policies necessary to build a just new economy. For more than a decade, federal, state, and local policymakers have relied on JMA’s research to inform their decision-making at the intersection of public procurement and emerging industries. JMA has recently produced leading insights into industries such as electric school bus manufacturing, microchip manufacturing, and lithium extraction.
About Recall Injustice at Hyundai-Kia
We are a coalition of community organizations, research and policy groups, workers, faith leaders, environmentalists, unions, and labor councils committed to environmental, racial, economic justice, and workplace democracy. Our coalition believes that companies can and should partner with their neighbors to address problems and care for their shared communities.
https://recallinjustice.org/about-us/