Secretary of the US Department of State Antony J Blinken has said those who threaten, intimidate, attack union leaders, labour rights defenders and labour organisations will be held accountable.

The State Secretary made the statement during the Rollout of the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally on Thursday (16 November).

During his speech, Blinken said this is not simply a domestic issue; it is a matter of national security, a matter of foreign policy of the US. 

He laid out five lines of efforts to proactively integrate and elevate workers' rights around the world, which includes engaging with various stakeholders of any country, working with multilateral institutions like the United Nations, with the G20, to promote labour rights and standards.

One of the lines of efforts is steps like sanctions, trade penalties, and visa restrictions.

"We will work to hold accountable those who threaten, who intimidate, who attack union leaders, labour rights defenders, labour organisations – including using things like sanctions, trade penalties, visa restrictions – all the tools in our kit," said Blinken.

He said, "We want to be there for people like Kalpona Atker, a Bangladeshi garment worker and activist, who says that she is alive today because the US embassy advocated on her behalf. 

"When we use our voice, when we use our advocacy around the world, we can make a concrete difference in making sure that those who are trying to advance labour rights are protected and defended," he added.

He also said the United States stands with the service workers in Cambodia, agricultural leaders in Guatemala, labour lawyers in Eswatini, and countless brave individuals fighting for the right to organise, to work under safe and healthy conditions, to be free from forced labour, trafficking, and discrimination.