The organisations, including the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the US Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation and the Fair Labor Association (FLA), delivered a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 3 September 2026.
They argued that continued US involvement in the ILO is essential to ensuring a “level playing field” for all workers, including Americans, by promoting values and interests that align with US policy.
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The letter states: “The ILO builds institutions in countries around the world so that they can effectively implement and enforce internationally recognised labour standards, standards the US created and upholds in its own laws. Further, the ILO’s core international labour standards focus heavily on combatting forced labour, which is an administration priority as demonstrated by the recent Section 301 actions on forced labour and the Trump administration’s vigorous enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and the US Forced Labor Statute (Section 1307).”
AAFA, which represents companies in the apparel, footwear, and sewn products sectors, says the ILO operates staff and offices in numerous countries, providing real-time information, networks, and support to uphold internationally recognised labour standards.
The ILO’s global role in promoting fair labour conditions benefits not only the apparel and footwear industries, but also the wider US business community, AAFA argues.
AAFA executive vice president Nate Herman explained: “A US withdrawal from the ILO […] would cede control of and the leadership at the ILO to other countries who do not share American values and who, instead, want to use the ILO to tilt the playing field against American businesses and American workers, deemphasizing the ILO’s focus on combatting forced labour and undermining the US-built ILO core international labour standards.”
In addition, the organisations also raised concerns that leaving the ILO would result in the loss of the US business community’s voting rights at the International Labor Conference, diminishing the ability of US companies to shape policy and defend their interests in international forums.
The appeal follows a turbulent period for US funding of international organisations. On 29 August 2025, the White House announced the cancellation of $5bn in international aid, including a $107m cut to the ILO.
The White House subsequently altered its announcement, removing the ILO and the World Trade Organization from the list of affected entities, but provided no public clarification.
The ILO, headquartered in Geneva, has reported substantial financial challenges as the US is its largest donor.
On 7 September, the ILO confirmed it would cut 120 full-time equivalent jobs, including up to 73 permanent roles starting January 2027, to manage the funding shortfall.
The ILO’s regular budget for 2026-27 provides for around 1,670 positions, of which 1,026 are permanent.
