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labour | workers’ rights


CAFTA bait-and-switch destroys Georgia community
Remember during the debate over the Central American Free Trade Agreement, every Republican politician and corporate lobbyist was giving the public the "free trade creates American jobs" line? It’s a line that America has become used to hearing from Washington, D.C. — even though, as both Hostile Takeover and Take This Job and Ship It show, this mantra has no relation to reality.
Japan: Free trade deal with Manila stumbles over labour
While 23 July marked the 50th anniversary of bilateral friendship between Japan and the Philippines, Tokyo has decided not to use the occasion to conclude a long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA) with a fellow Asian country.
Fighting the US-South Korea free trade agreement
Participants in the growing movement inside South Korea who are opposed to the proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement held demonstrations in Washington, D.C. during the first week of June while negotiations were being conducted.
Oman: Another deeply flawed trade agreement
Since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), more and more Americans have become convinced that the model our government uses to secure trade deals is fundamentally flawed and has caused our nation and our workers serious economic harm.
House narrowly approves trade deal with Oman
The US House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly approved a free trade pact with the Gulf Arab state of Oman, after a debate focused on the safety of US ports and protections for Omani workers.
Michaud leads fight against Oman free trade agreement
"It is bad enough that we are asked to support agreements that will ship more jobs overseas, that undermine our environmental standards, and that ask us to stick our head in the sand over serious human rights violations - but it is simply unacceptable to ask this Congress to support legislation that could potentially undermine the security of our nation," said US Congressman Mike Michaud.
US House Dems vow to oppose Peru FTA on labor standards
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday said they would oppose a free trade agreement between the US and Peru, citing inadequate provisions to protect labor standards.
US House Democrats say Oman labor reform not enough
US Democrats opposed to a free trade pact with Oman said on Tuesday that new reforms to the Gulf Arab state’s labor laws fall short of what is needed to win their support for the agreement.
Oman decree on workers unions strengthens FTA
A royal decree granting workers in Oman rights to form unions and barring coercive practices by employers will strengthen Oman’s free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, a top official said.
Employers up against anti-FTA strikes
The Korea Employers Federation Monday called for an end to “illegal” strikes aimed at thwarting the establishment of a free trade agreement between Korea and the United States.
Protests to intensify over FTA
As Korea resumed its talks with the United States over a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) yesterday, anti-globalization activists also made their presence felt, organizing scattered demonstrations in Seoul calling for the government to withdraw from the negotiations.
Costa Rican Unions against US FTA
Secretary of the Internal Front of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) Fabio Chavez Friday assured unions would apply to all possible resources to hamper the implementation of a commercial alliance with the US.
Umbrella union vows general strike against S. Korea-U.S. FTA
To express its opposition to a free trade agreement (FTA) that South Korea is negotiating with the United States, one of the nation’s major umbrella unions on Monday vowed to launch a general strike on the day of the talks between the two countries.
Analysis: US-Jordan FTA underbelly
The US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement is not meeting its full potential and worker rights in Jordan continue to be violated as a result, say experts from both nations.
Bush sends Oman trade pact to Congress for vote
A bill sent by President Bush to Congress on Monday enacting a free trade agreement with the Arab Gulf state of Oman triggered a rebuke from the top Senate Democrat, who said it omitted a provision barring goods made with forced labor.
Crisis to worsen under FTA: union
The crisis in the automotive components sector will continue to worsen as long as the Federal Government permits unfair international competition and refuses to implement a strategic industry policy.
Jury still out on costs and benefits of SA trade deal with China, amid fears of severe job losses
A free trade agreement with China would have a drastically negative effect on the clothing and footwear sectors in South Africa - but the overall economic effect would be positive, says one of the first of a series of studies.
S Korea FTA can weather Democrats in Congress
South Korea has internationally recognized labor and environmental standards that would ease opposition by US Democrats who traditionally don’t favour trade agreements with foreign countries, a South Korean asserted this week.
U.S.-Korea FTA Talks Unlikely to Succeed
The United States is the world’s largest economy while South Korea ranks tenth. The two countries started negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in Washington D.C. June 5-10.
Jordan shutting abusive factories
Jordan’s trade minister yesterday acknowledged that his country had failed to enforce its own labor laws in some instances. Mr. Zu’bi was in Washington to meet with the Bush administration, lawmakers and business groups after a May report by the National Labor Committee said the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement encouraged sweatshop conditions in Jordanian garment factories.