The Trump administration has blocked imports of Giant bikes from Taiwan after an investigation revealed alleged evidence of forced labour.
The US Customs and Border Protection has issued a withhold release order against Giant Manufacturing Co. and will begin detaining bicycles, bicycle parts and accessories manufactured in Taiwan.
The investigation by US Customs is alleged to have identified abuse of vulnerability, abusive working and living conditions, debt bondage, withholding of wages and excessive overtime.
“CBP has a proven track record of cracking down on companies that use forced labour to the detriment of law-abiding U.S businesses,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott in a national media release.
“Giant profited by imposing such abuse, resulting in goods produced below market value and undercutting American businesses by millions of dollars in unjustly earned profits,” the statement continued.
Effective immediately, this order only applies to the bicycles and parts made in Taiwan. The company also has five factories in China, and makes bikes in Europe and Vietnam.
The company’s brands include Giant, Liv, Momentum, Cadex and Stages. They are also a major supplier to Trek and Scott.
Giant said it made changes last year to respond to media reports of worker-rights violations, reports Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
“Giant Group remains dedicated to protecting labour rights through concrete actions and ensuring a transparent, fair, and sustainable development,” the company said.
According to Giant’s 2024 annual report, the company committed to covering the travel costs and arrangements of migrant workers, including agency fees, regulatory fees, medical examination fees, visa fees, and passport fees.
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Once the workers are in Taiwan, Giant commits to paying costs including agency service fees, medical examination fees, residence permit fees, and passport fees.
However, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre published a 2024 report that found allegations of worker fees paid by Giant factory workers. When contacted, Giant told the organisations, “It is understood that some migrant employees pay recruitment fees to home-country recruiters, but our company is not involved in the negotiation and collection of such fees.”
Giant said it will file a petition with CBP to revoke the withhold release order and “explain that we have already adopted appropriate measures.”
Once the shipments have been detained, Giant will have to prove that the merchandise is legal, or the goods will have to be sent back overseas or destroyed.
Back in April, Giant was one of many bike brands to raise its US prices over Trump’s controversial tariffs on imported goods. Giant called the economic policy “absolutely not positive” for the cycling industry and said it was “inevitably forced to reflect cost”.
14 thoughts on “Trump administration blocks imports of Giant bikes over forced labour allegations”
What a surprising objection
What a surprising objection from the MAGA administration. I thought they were all for child labour.
The ill treatment of those
The ill treatment of those spotty 16 year olds by the DOGE organisation was a disgrace. Making them sleep on office floors and work long hours to sack staff and reinstate them again.
Trump wants his bribe.
Trump wants his bribe.
It’s probably impossible to
It’s probably impossible to be over-cynical about this.
They’re also in favour of
They’re also in favour of forced labour under the 13th amendment!
What about all the bikes
What about all the bikes Giant make for other brands???
Would customs officials have
Would customs officials have any way of knowing whether or not other brand’s bikes have been manufactured by Giant?
Presumably they would be
Presumably they would be tagged with a factory ID?
The import documents will
The import documents will have to show the origin of goods. Looks like Scott, Colnago, Trek and others will have a supply shortage in North America until Giant pay enough fealty
Tiny hands doesn’t like Giant
Tiny hands doesn’t like Giant bikes.
The Trump administration lost
The Trump administration lost the war on tariffs with China. As a token of good will directed to Beijing, it starts to reduce its imports from Taiwan.
Reading the ridiculous
Reading the ridiculous comments it’s hard to believe the adults commenting. If these factories are showing reputable authorities that there is abuse and child labor it’s the most responsible thing for the USA to prevent these products from entering.
Prorideengineering. wrote:
So why hasn’t the administration – and Trump’s previous administration – cracked down on other notorious companies that exploit foreign labour, such as Apple, Nike, most of the clothing industry and so on? It’s hard to believe that an adult can’t see that concerns over labour are simply a figleaf to cover the administration’s determination to hammer foreign imports and particularly to punish companies that are critical of its policies with regard to same.
Reading the ridiculous
Reading the ridiculous comments it’s hard to believe the adults commenting. If these factories are showing reputable authorities that there is abuse and child labor it’s the most responsible thing for the USA to prevent these products from entering.