Competitive Pressures And Labour Rights PDF Download

Explores the extent to which non-compliance to international labour rights is caused by global competition. Shows that from the perspective of institutional economics, compliance with core labour rights is beneficial for sustainable development. Nonetheless, demonstrates that violations of these rights occur on a massive scale. Starts with an outline of the institutionalist argument of the benefits of core labour rights. Second, briefly examines some cross-country empirical studies on the impact of trade liberalization (as a proxy for competitive pressures). Third, develops argument which differentiates the impact of trade liberalization along the axes of labour- and capital-intensive production as well as low and medium skill production. Finally, presents evidence from a study on the impact of trade liberalization in Indonesia on the garment industry as an example of a low skill, labour intensive industry on the one hand, and the automobile as an example for a medium skill, capital-intensive industry on the other hand. Because the garment industry's workforce consists mainly of women, also discusses the gender dimension of trade liberalization. Mentions ILO's Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), Home Work Convention, 1996 (No. 177), and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).