Labor regulation in a global economy / George Tsogas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tsogas, George.

Series:

Issues in work and human resources

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Labor laws and legislation, International.

Free trade.

Foreign trade and employment.

Social responsibility of business.

Physical Description:

xii, 201 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe, [2001]

Summary:

The first work in the field of industrial relations to categorize and comprehensively analyze all of the theoretical and practical aspects of international labor regulation. The book focuses primarily on the issues, organizations, and individuals in the United States charged with labor regulation -- NAFTA, the U.S. GSP program, trade unions, activists, and "grass roots" movements. It also gives major attention to the European Union and International Labor Organization.

Contents:

Transnational Capital 3

Deregulated Finance 4

New Congruence of Factors 4

End of Cold War 6

Linking Labor Standards to Trade 8

Global Sourcing and the Demand for Corporate Social Responsibility 10

Research Propositions and Outcomes 13

1. Arguments For and Against Labor Standards in Trade 19

Why a "Social Clause" in Trade? 19

A Framework for the Study of Labor Standards in Trade 20

The Two Opposing Groups 21

The Arguments 22

Child Labor and Economic Development 41

Enforcement of Labor Standards: Trade Sanctions or Moral Suasion? 44

ILO Views on Linking Labor Standards and Trade 46

2. The International Labor Organization and International Labor Standards 49

History and Structure of the ILO 49

The Labor Standard-Setting Process 51

The 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work 54

The United States and Core Labor Standards 55

The Future Role of the ILO 56

3. Labor Standards in Corporate Codes of Conduct 61

Corporate Codes of Conduct 61

What's in a Code? 63

Sectoral Initiatives and Campaigns 66

Initiatives for Global Standards 72

The Role of Trade Unions 77

Implementation, Monitoring, and Verification of Codes of Conduct 79

4. Unilateral Application of Labor Standards in Trade Relations 86

U.S. Initiatives on Child Labor 86

The Proposed Child Labor Deterrence Act: A Violation of International Law? 90

National Legislation on Child Labor 91

How About Prison Labor? 91

5. Labor Standards in Bilateral Trade Agreements: The Case of the USA 94

Social Clauses in U.S. Trade Legislation 94

Effects of Labor Standards Clauses in U.S. Bilateral Trade Legislation 106

6. Labor Standards in the Bilateral Trade Relationships of the European Union 114

Efforts to Include a Social Clause in the Lome Convention 114

Labor Standards in the Generalized System of Preferences of the European Union 119

A Comparison of the Three Approaches 123

GSP as a Forerunner for a Multilateral Regime? 126

7. Efforts to Introduce Labor Standards into the Multilateral Trade Regime 129

A Social Clause in the GATT and the WTO: From Havana to Seattle, Through Marrakesh 129

Effects of Efforts to Include a Social Clause in the GATT and the WTO 134

8. Labor Standards in Regional Trade Agreements: The Case of the European Union 137

The Early Days 137

The Social Charter and the Question of "Social Dumping" 138

The Social Charter and European Integration 141

The Effects of the Social Charter 146

9. Labor Standards in Regional Trade Agreements: The Case of the North American Free Trade Agreement 148

The North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation 148

Comparative Effects of Labor Standards in Regional Trade Schemes and Policy Implications 162

10. Policy Implications of International Labor Regulation 165

Policy Implications for Corporations 165

Policy Implications for Trade Schemes 172

A Social Clause Where It Matters 173

Which Organization? 175.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-191) and index.

ISBN:

0765605570

OCLC:

43992514