From the Guardian Interactive.
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Debate
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Third world still can't see past western self-interest
John Edmonds
Monday April 17, 2000
The strains generated by international free trade in global markets surfaced
on the streets of Seattle and are resurfacing again in Washington.
Globalisation has spread fear throughout the world. Economic power is being
concentrated through massive mergers. It is easy to understand why the World
Trade Organisation, perceived as an instrument of wealthy corporations,
incurs opposition.
As rapid economic change spreads insecurity, General Motors packs more punch
than some European Union member states. In the United States, many fear that
their jobs will be exported to the developing world. British workers share
their concerns. At the end of 1999, the livelihoods of some 6,000 GMB union
members employed in the clothing industry were jeopardised by Marks &
Spencer's decision to terminate long-standing contracts with British
suppliers. The jobs were to move to the developing world where workers would
be paid 4% of British labour rates.
In more than 70 of the world's poorest nations, nearly 30m workers are
employed in so-called free trade zones, making goods such as jeans for
western markets. These employees, mainly women, work up to 16 hours a day in
brutal conditions. Accidents are common. There are no trade unions and no
labour regulations to offer basic protection.
The multinationals' search for cheaper labour does not stop at replacing a
protected, developed-world workforce with sweated adult labour. There are
some 250m economically active children aged between five and 14. The WTO has
said that its members will respect International Labour Organisation core
standards against the worst forms of child labour. But there has been little
progress.
Labour standards are a fundamental human right. Yet, as demonstrated at
Seattle, many developing countries oppose their introduction because they see
them as disguised western self-interest. In their view, developed countries
are attempting to narrow the labour cost gap to protect their jobs.
But if this is the motive, the policy will surely fail. Good health and
safety standards are cheap compared with wages. For example, the GMB has
developed a needle guard for sewing machines that costs only a pound.
No one is suggesting that factories in Sri Lanka should immediately pay the
same wage rates as factories in the United States. The arguments about child
labour and safety have to be based on principle.
The trade union movement has argued for minimum employment protection
standards by which nations and transnational corporations must abide. The
positive outcome at Seattle was that many countries previously opposed to
discussing the issue began to reconsider. The challenge is to ensure that
developing countries gain from the introduction of safety standards and the
right to join independent trade unions.
A first step would be to set up a permanent ILO-WTO working group. This body
should propose mechanisms to integrate labour rights into WTO rules and trade
agreements. At the same time, industrialised countries should shun
protectionist measures.
The ILO should be given authority to monitor compliance with labour standards
and to develop incentives for encouraging good practice.
In a civilised society, we have to work together or each will suffer alone.
The WTO rules must be reformed to enable governments and consumers to
distinguish between products on ethical, environmental and health grounds.
• John Edmonds is General Secretary of GMB. This is an edited extract from
his contribution to After Seattle: Globalisation and its discontents
published tomorrow by Catalyst. Full details: www.catalyst-trust.co.uk
hkanteh
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