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labour | workers’ rights

EU-China investment deal lacks teeth on forced labor but could still be derailed
20-Jan-2021 Taiwan News
Potential gains not worth cost of overlooking ’blatant human rights violations’ in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, and against Taiwan’: French senator
EU will not ask China to sign forced labor ban before ratifying investment deal, says French minister
13-Jan-2021 Politico
France will insist on a ‘calendar’ for Beijing’s reforms instead.
Corporate-led trade deals are coming to Britain – and unions have to be ready
6-Jan-2021 Left Foot Forward
The Tories are trying to shut workers out of Britain’s post-Brexit trade deals, writes Unite’s Tony Burke.
China and EU leaders strike investment deal, but political hurdles await
4-Jan-2021 New York Times
The agreement, which would roll back restrictions on investment, faces some opposition in Europe and objections from the Biden camp.
Xinjiang forced labour concerns threaten to derail China’s investment deal with EU
21-Dec-2020 South China Morning Post
Officials say European Parliament could refuse to endorse deal over Beijing’s failure to commit to International Labour Organisation standards
RCEP has limited trade gains and ignores labour and human rights
30-Nov-2020 Australian Institute of International Affairs
Australia’s recent signature of the RCEP has attracted world attention for its significance in consolidating Asia-Pacific geopolitical relations. But in celebrating this agreement, we seem to have forgotten its unfinished business regarding labour and human rights.
Union movements: Potential UK-Norway trade deal must not be a race to the bottom
24-Nov-2020 Left Foot Forward
Trade unions in UK and Norway have set out clear principles for a future trade agreement.
What is RCEP and why are Trade Unions in the Asia-Pacific Region concerned about It?
18-Nov-2020 News Click
Even as the new agreement between ASEAN nations and its free trade partners establishes the largest trading bloc in the world, it is vehemently being opposed by labor unions, trade justice groups and women’s movements
Labour unions in Asia Pacific condemn RCEP deal
12-Nov-2020 Trade Justice Unions
Labour unions in Asia Pacific condemn this outcome and will continue working with our affiliates and allies to intervene in the enactment, ratification and implementation process of RCEP.
Unions insist they must be consulted on trade deals
21-Sep-2020 The News
Unions in the UK, Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to call for decent jobs and workers’ rights to be protected under any deals on trade.
How trade policy failed US workers— and how to fix it
18-Sep-2020 Institute for Policy Studies
Over the last several decades, US trade policies have failed most Americans. Under the guise of “free trade,” special interests have captured trade policy to extract wealth at home and abroad and left working people to bear the costs.
AFL-CIO chief says union to file labor complaint under USMCA this month
4-Sep-2020 Reuters
The AFL-CIO is planning to file labor complaints against Mexico this month under the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement’s labor enforcement mechanism, the US union’s president said.
Indonesia, Australia to roll out worker exchange program
17-Jul-2020 Jakarta Post
Indonesia will conduct a worker-exchange program with Australia to boost its human resources. The plan was announced by a senior government official just days after the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) entered into force.
Will the new NAFTA make the pandemic worse for Mexicans?
13-Jul-2020 Foreign Policy in Focus
For Mexican workers, farmers, and the poor, the pandemic and the new treaty replacing NAFTA are a devastating one-two punch.
New NAFTA takes effect next month. US is already threatening legal challenges
19-Jun-2020 CBC
The new North American trade agreement isn’t even in effect yet and the Trump administration is warning Canada and Mexico they might face legal actions under the pact.
RCEP will undermine fight against COVID19 pandemic
18-Jun-2020 APWLD
The 15 governments must consider the adverse impact of the mega FTA and put an end to trade agreements such as RCEP as they only increase protection and power of multinational corporations.
Collectively to reject the RCEP negotiations in the middle of a pandemic
15-Jun-2020 Hukum Online
Amid the pandemic Covid-19 outbreak with the protocol health of all States, the trade negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is still ongoing. The Government should use the momentum of the pandemic to assess thorough draft related agreements RCEP.
Like NAFTA, successor trade deal lacks US worker protections
2-Jun-2020 Noozhawk
NAFTA and other trade deals have been a disaster for American workers. Unregulated global trade consequences have led to worldwide criminal-level labor exploitation.
e-Commerce free trade agreements, digital chapters and the impact on labour
4-May-2020 ITUC
A comparative analysis of treaty texts and their potential practical implications.
Mexico says auto factories to reopen with virus safeguards
27-Apr-2020 New York Times
The announcement came three days after the US government launched a campaign to get Mexico to reopen plants, suggesting the supply chain of the North American free trade zone could be permanently affected.