Mission

Global Workers Justice Alliance ("Global Workers") combats worker exploitation by promoting portable justice for transnational migrants through a cross-border network of advocates and resources. Global Workers believes that portable justice, the right and ability of migrants to access justice in the country of employment even after they have departed, is a key yet under-utilized mechanism to reduce the exploitation of today's global migrants.

What We Do

Capacity Building:

Global Workers staff and partners educate Defenders in migrant-sending countries on U.S. labor laws and legal strategy so they can effectively assist migrants who have suffered exploitation related to the employment abroad and to advocate for better protections. We train and support Defenders to develop advocacy campaigns, networks, and resources. Global Workers also provides U.S. attorneys with training on handling cases with clients abroad and also provides special trainings on the laws in the countries of origin.

Legal Action:

Global Workers facilitates transnational litigation on behalf of migrant workers and encourages attorneys throughout the region to work on labor and employment cases with a transnational dimension. We develop and facilitate cases in various manners, including: Defenders identify cases for workers who never found help in the U.S.; Defenders initiate strategic litigation to challenge abusive recruiters in their home courts; U.S. advocates approach us for on-the-ground legal support for clients who left the country.

Policy Advocacy:

Global Workers strives to improve conditions for migrants, both nationally and internationally. Informed by the cross-border casework, which reveals the otherwise little known barriers to the realization of portable justice, Global Workers brings a unique vantage point to the advocacy. With U.S. lawyers experienced in litigating cases for migrant workers and the Defender Network advocates that bring a sending country perspective to the table, together, we foster powerful alliances in developing solutions to address worker exploitation from a holistic, transnational perspective. We have utilized our strengths to educate stakeholders about key policy problems in work visa programs; to encourage the enforcement of home country labor protections for migrants; and to raise awareness about the importance of 'portable justice' among policymakers and civil society.