Robert Russo

Labour Development: Reconciling Globalization with Workers' Rights Robert Russo

Linking international trade and labour standards is an issue that has taken on increased visibility with the accelerating pace of globalization. Although globalization has brought benefits to some, it has not resulted in the predicted benefits for many workers worldwide and in particular for workers in developing countries. I have grouped the attempts to internationally regulate labour under a concept I refer to as labour development. Labour development is a subset of international social development policies designed to respond to the social instability caused by economic globalization. This book argues that the enforcing of labour standards as a form of developed world notions of workplace human rights clashes with notions of neo-liberal economic development. The purpose of this book is to determine the actual effects of labour development on developed and developing countries. I argue that the reconciliation of labour development and neo- liberal economic globalization is extremely difficult, but not impossible. The book concludes with recommendations to detach future labour agreements from the current framework of free trade negotiations.