An Effective Confluence of Forces in Support of Workers' Rights: ILO Standards, US Trade Laws, Unions, NGOs.

Determining the treatment of workers rights in the globalized economy is a conflictive process. This paper seeks to analyze this confluence of forces. After first describing the ILO's machinery for standard-setting and monitoring, and the operation of the workers' rights aspects of U.S. trade and investment laws. In both the global North and the global South, multinational corporations, local business enterprises, labor movements and human rights NGOs reflect differing values and varying interests in regard to workers' rights. Viewpoints and policies also vary among international organizations such as the international Labour Organization (lLO), the Word Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank. In these social conflicts the International Labour Organization has proved a valuable means for conflict management. The ILO's international labor standards provide the terms of reference for discussions among the various contentious participants.