Lance A Compa

The International Labor Organization : the international standards system and basic human rights

Part 1 History and functioning of the Standards system: introduction to the ILO the system of International Labour Standards the adoption of conventions and recommendations submission of conventions and recommendations to the competent authorities ratification of conventions denunciation of conventions the debate on the future of Standards. Part 2 Supervision of International Labour Standards: communication of reports and information the committee of experts on the application of conventions and recommendations the Conference Committee on Standards assistance provided by the Office representations complaints complaints of the Violation of Freedom of Association special studies on discrimination special procedures and investigations characteristics and complementary nature of the procedures the debates on the supervisory procedures. Part 3 Fundamental human rights: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No 29) Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No 105) the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No 87) the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (No 98) other standards on freedom of association. Part 4 Equality of opportunity and treatment: the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No 100) the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No 111).

When in Rome: the exercise of power by foreign multinational companies in the United States1

Multinational corporations exercise power in the United States by integrating themselves into the US economic and legal systems, not by interfering with them. Firms take advantage of the relatively deregulated labour market in the United States and its ‘at-will’ employment relations, compared with ‘just cause’ requirements elsewhere. Many multinational companies also adopt US management-style behaviour towards trade unions, notwithstanding their publicly declared support for global norms on workers’ freedom of association. They exploit US labour laws that violate international standards and interfere with trade union formation. Case studies examine several examples of this ‘when in Rome’ anti-union phenomenon. At the same time, some counter-examples of companies that adhere to ILO core standards are offered. The conclusion contains recommendations for securing multinational companies’ respect for workers’ freedom of association in the United States, including application of ILO core standards, UN Guiding Principles, OECD Guidelines and Global Framework Agreements.

Solidarity and Rights: Two to Tango-A Response to Joseph A. McCartin

Excerpt] Thanks to Joseph McCartin for advancing this debate with an insightful critique of the workers’rights-as-human-rights framework and for his generous treatment of the series of Human Rights Watch reports in which I had a hand. McCartin so fairly presents the human rights case, even while disagreeing with it, that it’s hard to respond without simply borrowing from his framing of my own views. But I’ll try.