Global Trade and Labour Standards Globalisation involving trade liberalisation, financial and labour market deregulation, technological change, privatisation and reducing social expenditures is putting serious pressure on workers in many countries. As part of the process of change workers must have fundamental rights respected by governments and employers. These rights include those contained in ILO conventions regarding: Freedom of association Collective bargaining Protection from discrimination Freedom from child labour The elimination of forced labour Australian trade unions will act to defend and achieve those rights for all workers.

ILO-WTO Joint Report: A Step Towards Sensible Global Policy 19.02.07 World trade union body the ITUC today welcomed the publication of the first-ever joint study by the ILO and the WTO, "Trade and Employment: Challenges for Policy Research", as an unprecedented step forward towards achieving genuine...

Collapse of WTO Negotiations 02.08.06 On 24 July the Doha round of WTO negotiations was suspended indefinitely due to the deep divisions among major countries and groups of countries, particularly over agriculture. The decision to suspend negotiations was made by the WTO Director...

ACTU calls on the Commonwealth Govt to assure it will not support proposed GATS 27.06.06 Dear Minister for Trade the Hon. Mark Vaile, The ACTU has been advised that the Australian Government is supporting a 9 June proposal from Chile and listed countries for a new GATS discipline in respect of domestic regulation that supports...

Australia's Social and Commercial Engagement With China 14.02.05 Speech on the Australia-China trade and economic relationship. Presented to China, Trade Liberalisation And Labour: Racing To The Bottom Or Building A Foundation For Labour Rights Symposium, 14 - 15 February 2005, ACTU House. By Sharan...

A Fair Deal for Migrant Workers 08.07.04 The annual Conference of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a new plan designed to provide a fair deal for some 86 million migrant workers in the global economy. A plan of action adopted by the ILO 92nd International Labour...

ACTU Submission On Proposed Free Trade Agreement With Malaysia 07.07.04 The ACTU wishes to raise several issues for consideration by the Department as part of the scoping study for the proposed agreement.

Australia - China Free Trade Agreement Joint Feasiblity Study 07.07.04 ACTU Submission to DFAT Study Taskforce 30 June 2004.

Making Sense Of The US Australia Free Trade Agreement 03.06.04 The AMWU has produced some useful materials to assist on the job discussion, learning and action against the USA Australia Free trade Agreement. These materials encourage discussion in union courses and meetings and in workplaces, at kitchen...

FTA Flawed and Inadequate Says ACTU 20.04.04 The economic benefits of the Australian-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) are questionable while the provisions to protect labour standards are inadequate says the ACTU. ACTU President Sharan Burrow will be presenting the ACTU’s submission on...

All The Way....... With FTA?? 21.01.04 Negotiations for the Australia - US Free Trade Agreement are nearing completion with the Australian Trade delegation now in Washington for final talks. The Australian public are still unaware of what the agreement will contain and what effects it...

Trade Wars – The Exaggerated Impact of Trade In Economic Debate 22.10.03 The free movement of hot money, technology transfer and immigration have a greater impact on the labour market than trade argues American labour economist Richard Freeman in this National Bureau of Economic Research paper. Abstract The rules...

ICFTU Releases Report On Labour Standards 24.09.03 In a new report on Niger and Senegal, produced to coincide with the 22-24 September WTO review of those countries' trade policies, the ICFTU details continued violations of core International Labour Organisation conventions that the two countries...

Cancun Failure An Opportunity Lost For Fairer Trade - ACTU 16.09.03 The failure of the World Trade Organisations talks in Cancun, Mexico, represents a lost opportunity for a fairer international trading system, the ACTU said. ACTU President Sharan Burrow, who attended non-government talks at the WTO Ministerial...

Global Unions Push For Workers' Rights At WTO Talks 10.09.03 International unions representing 160 million workers are pushing for enforceable labour standards to be part of any new world trade agreement at WTO talks in Mexico. A delegation of 150 union leaders sought new guarantees on workers rights to be...

The World Trade Organisation - An Australian Guide 05.09.03 This guide by Global Trade Watch has been produced to help Australians understand what is happening to our economy and that of almost every other country in the 21st century. Every day in our media, our workplaces and from our governments we hear...