Labour Standards and Social Justice: Theory and Practice in Latin
America and the Caribbean
 
Workshop convened by
Kevin J. Middlebrook and Caterina Perrone,
Institute for the Study of the Americas, University of London
 
Friday, 24 April 2009, 2:00 - 6:00pm
Venue: Institute for the Study of the Americas, 35 Tavistock Square,
London WC1H 9HA
 
To book a place email [log in to unmask] or call 020 7862 8871
Further details http://americas.sas.ac.uk/events/events.php?id=5634
 
Rationale
 
The question of how to define and promote labour standards in the
context of increasingly globalised economic competition has stimulated
intense debate about corporate social responsibility, and it has
complicated efforts to negotiate regional free-trade agreements and
strained World Trade Organisation deliberations. Identifying ways of
protecting core labour rights under conditions of economic globalisation
is thus a crucial test of the capacity of national governments,
multilateral organisations, transnational corporations, trade unions and
nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to address social justice concerns
at a time of rapid economic change.
 
The purpose of this workshop is to explore the current state of debate
concerning international labour standards and the strategies adopted by
multilateral agencies, unions, labour-rights NGOs, and leading firms to
safeguard labour rights and promote corporate social responsibility on
labour issues. We particularly seek to draw on diverse actors' practical
experiences in this area in order to assess the value of voluntary codes
of corporate conduct as a multi-actor, collaborative strategy for
addressing worker rights issues.
 
Panelists whose name is preceded by an asterisk (*) are confirmed.
 
Session I (2:00-3:45 pm): Promoting International Labour Standards

(A) Setting Global Labour Standards 
What is the current state of the debate concerning international labour
standards? What roles are the International Labour Organisation, the
World Trade Organisation, and other multilateral agencies playing in
defining and promoting international labour rights? What have been the
major achievements in this area, and what are the principal obstacles to
further progress?
* Natan Elkin, Department of International Labour Standards, ILO
(Geneva)
 
(B) Trade Unions and International Labour Rights
How do major trade union organisations approach the challenge of
promoting labour rights internationally? What have been their major
achievements? What do they perceive to be the main barriers to effective
cross-border union collaboration?
* Sam Gurney, Trade Union Congress (London)
 
(C) NGOs and the Promotion of International Labour Standards
What advantages or disadvantages do non-governmental organisations have
in promoting international labour rights? What NGO strategies have
proved most effective in this regard?
* Kevin Thomas, Maquila Solidarity Network (Toronto, Canada)
 
Coffee
 
Session II (4:00-5:30 pm): Applying International Labour Standards
 
(A) Voluntary Codes of Conduct and Corporate Social Responsibility
What is the range of current practices where voluntary codes of
corporate conduct on labour issues are concerned? Under what
circumstances are these codes most effective? What makes them attractive
or unattractive to transnational enterprises? What is required to
maximise the 'demonstration effect' of successful uses of such codes? 
* Rhys Jenkins, School of International Development, University of East
Anglia
 
(B) Global Production Chains and Corporate Codes of Conduct
To what extent do leading companies take labour-rights issues into
account when selecting suppliers?  How do they monitor their supply
chains on these issues so as to enforce voluntary codes of conduct? What
makes these codes attractive or unattractive to transnational
enterprises? Will a global economic downturn necessarily erode private
firms' (or consumers') commitment to corporate social responsibility on
labour issues?
Corporate representative(s) (to be confirmed)
 
(C) Monitoring Voluntary Codes of Conduct
 
How do NGOs and other labour-rights actors monitor adherence to
corporate codes of conduct? What are the main challenges they encounter?
What incentives have proved most attractive to transnational firms in
terms of promoting code compliance? Is it possible to apply meaningful
sanctions in this area? What roles to consumer pressure and reputational
risk play in promoting corporate compliance with agreed codes of conduct
on labour issues?
* Martin Cooke, Ethical Trading Initiative (London)
 
Reception