The mission of OTLA is to work to ensure that U.S. trade agreements are fair for American workers and workers around the world.  We use all available tools – including negotiating strong labor provisions in our trade agreements and preference programs, monitoring for compliance, enforcing trade agreement and preference program commitments, and sharing technical expertise – to make sure that U.S. trade partners fulfill their promises and play by the rules, and that American workers are able to compete on a level playing field.

OTLA consists of the following divisions:

Trade Policy & Negotiations (TPN)

TPN works to ensure that U.S. multilateral and bilateral trade and investment policy is fair for U.S. workers. For example, TPN staff:  play an important role in the negotiation of the worker protection provisions of U.S. free trade agreements, as well as in the administration and enforcement of labor commitments in U.S. trade preference programs; help to formulate U.S. policy in the area of import relief for imports that injure or threaten to injure U.S. industries and their workers; participate in U.S. government deliberations concerning the elimination of certain unfair trade practices and provide input into other trade policy areas (such as trade remedies and national security investigations) that may have an impact on U.S. workers; and negotiate the guidelines governing lending by multilateral development banks and international financial institutions.

Monitoring & Enforcement of Trade Agreements (META)

META monitors and enforces the labor provisions of U.S. free trade agreements to make sure that countries abide by their commitments and that all workers can compete on a level playing field.  META’s work involves:  reviewing trade partner countries’ laws and practices related to labor issues; assessing labor problems and possible trade violations; engaging at high levels to ensure that all countries play by the rules; and working with other developed economies to ensure that they do their part to make sure that our trade partners play by the rules.  META staff also review complaints, known as submissions, alleging that a trade partner has violated the conditions required by the labor chapter of a free trade agreement, and work with other U.S. government agencies to use all available tools under the agreement, including formal dispute settlement when appropriate, to enforce trade rules and hold every trade partner to their commitments. META is the designated contact point within OTLA for labor matters under each of the free trade agreements.

Technical Assistance & Cooperation (TAC)

TAC manages and funds targeted technical assistance projects that build the capacity of governments, workers, and employers to enforce and improve labor protections. The Division currently has over 25 active technical cooperation projects across the globe that provide technical assistance to improve worker rights, livelihoods and labor law compliance. Since 1995, we have developed programs in more than 72 countries that address a wide range of labor issues and help to make sure that trade partner countries have the tools to enforce their labor laws and comply with a trade agreement’s or preference program’s labor obligations.

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