We use cookies on this website, you can read about them here. To use the website as intended please... ACCEPT COOKIES
UAL Research Online

Labour standards in international trade agreements: an assessment of the arguments

Tsogas, George (1999) Labour standards in international trade agreements: an assessment of the arguments. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 10 (2). pp. 351-375. ISSN 0958-5192

Type of Research: Article
Creators: Tsogas, George
Description:

In the 1980s and 1990s organized labour in industrialized countries was hit by the demise of traditional manufacturing industries, the ever-expanding globalization of the economy and the ideological dominance of economic liberalism and free trade. Support for the introduction of labour standards in the world trade regime grew out of these conditions. This paper introduces an analytical framework for the study of labour standards in international trade agreements (LSITA) and provides a detailed examination of the individuals and organizations involved in the debate and an analysis of their arguments and activities. Experiences of LSITA fall into four categories: (i) unilateral: child and prison labour legislation and corporate codes of conduct; (ii) bilateral: the GSP programmes; (iii) multilateral: attempts in the GATT/WTO; and (iv) regional: the Social Charter of the EU and the labour side agreement of NAFTA. In the opposition group are neoclassical economists and free trade theorists; major international employers; and some Third World governments and economic elites. Among the proponents belong neo-Keynesians and neo-institutionalists; 'ethical' international employers; trade unions; the ILO; governments and politicians in industrialized countries; and a plethora of NGOs and individual activists.

Official Website: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/095851999340594
Keywords/subjects not otherwise listed: labour standards in international trade, workers’ rights, social clause in trade
Publisher/Broadcaster/Company: Routledge, Taylor & Francis
Your affiliations with UAL: Colleges > London College of Fashion
Date: April 1999
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1080/095851999340594
Date Deposited: 24 Feb 2015 11:06
Last Modified: 24 Feb 2015 11:06
Item ID: 7778
URI: https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/7778

Repository Staff Only: item control page | University Staff: Request a correction