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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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MONITORING INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS

SUMMARY OF DOMESTIC FORUMS

Roger McElrath, Editor

Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education

Policy and Global Affairs Division

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. DOL-4653 between the National Academy of Sciences and U.S. Department of Labor. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Labor.

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Copyright 2003 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Cover photo credits: The four cover photos are courtesy of the International Labour Organization, with individual credit as follows: upper left corner, P. DeLoche; upper right corner, A. Khemka; the two remaining photos—left mid-page and bottom left, J. Maillard.

Suggested citation: National Research Council. (2003). Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Roger McElrath, editor. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education and Policy and Global Affairs Division. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Acknowledgments

This workshop summary has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Fay Lyle, Solidarity Center, Washington, DC; Victor Narro, Sweatshop Watch, Los Angeles, CA; Emily O’Connor, Debevoise & Plimpton, New York, NY; Ruth Rosenbaum, CREA, Hartford, CT; Nina Smith, RUGMARK Foundation USA, Washington, DC.

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the report nor did they see the final draft of the report, nor did they see the draft of the final report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Burt Barnow, Institute for Policy Studies, Johns Hopkins University. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authors and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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The committee also would like to thank Roger McElrath as the com- missioned editor of this report. McElrath has worked for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and George Mason University, consulted to the International Labour Organization, and is currently assist- ing Business for Social Responsibility.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Forum Presenters

New York

JANICE BELLACE (Moderator), The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania

BIPUL CHATTOPADHYAY, Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment; Consumer Unity & Trust Society, India

MIKE GRACE, Communications Workers of America

NEIL KEARNEY, International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, Belgium

MARCELA MANUBENS, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation

GREGG NEBEL, adidas-Salomon AG

CAROL PIER, Human Rights Watch

MILA ROSENTHAL, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights

DAVID SCHILLING, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

ROLAND SCHNEIDER, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, France

BARBARA SHAILOR, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization

ANNA WALKER, United States Council for International Business

ROBERT ZANE, Liz Claiborne, Inc.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Los Angeles

WILLIAM B. GOULD IV (Moderator), Stanford Law School, Stanford University, Emeritus, and Willamette University College of Law

GARRETT D. BROWN, Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network

PETER CHAPMAN, Shareholder Association for Research and Education, Canada

RICHARD CLAYTON, Service Employees International Union

STEPHEN COATS, U.S./Labor Education in the Americas Project

TOM DELUCA, Toys “R” Us, Inc.

PHARIS J. HARVEY, International Labor Rights Fund, Retired

TOM HAYDEN, The Campaign for the Abolition of Sweatshops and Child Labor

AEWHA KIM, Asia Monitor Resource Center, Hong Kong

ROGER P. McDIVITT, Patagonia, Inc.

DEBBIE O’BRIEN, Business for Social Responsibility

KATIE QUAN, Center for Labor Research and Education, Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California at Berkeley

DENNIS A. SMITH, Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct, Guatemala

MAY WONG, Asia Monitor Resource Center, Hong Kong

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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List of Acronyms


AFL-CIO:

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization

AMRC:

Asia Monitor Resource Center

AS:

adidas-Salomon AG


BSR:

Business for Social Responsibility


Cal/OSHA:

California Division of Occupational Safety and Health

CalPERS

California Public Employees’ Retirement System

COVERCO:

Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct

CUTS:

Consumer Unity & Trust Society

CWA:

Communications Workers of America


DGB:

German federation of trade unions

DOL:

U.S. Department of Labor


FLA:

Fair Labor Association


GSP:

Generalized System of Preferences


HRW:

Human Rights Watch


ICCR:

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2003. Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10659.
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ILO:

International Labour Organization

ICFTU:

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ILAB

Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor

ILRF:

International Labor Rights Fund

ILS:

international labor standards (core)

ITGLWF:

International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation


LC:

Liz Claiborne, Inc.

LCHR:

Lawyers Committee for Human Rights


MNC:

multinational corporation


NAFTA:

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAS:

National Academy of Sciences

NGO:

nongovernmental organization

NRC:

National Research Council

NYCERS:

New York City Employees’ Retirement System


OECD:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OPIC:

Overseas Private Investment Corporation


PVH:

Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation


SAI:

Social Accountability International

SEIU:

Service Employees International Union

SHARE:

Shareholder Association for Research and Education


TRU:

Toys “R” Us, Inc.

TUAC:

Trade Union Advisory Committee


UN:

United Nations

UNICEF:

United Nations Children’s Fund

UNITE:

Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees

USCIB:

United States Council for International Business

US/LEAP:

U.S./Labor Education in the Americas Project


WTO:

World Trade Organization

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Monitoring International Labor Standards: Summary of Domestic Forums Get This Book
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Over the past half century, the international flow of goods, services, and capital has grown rapidly. Globalization creates new economic, cultural, and social opportunities, but also poses the challenge of ensuring that workers throughout the world share in these opportunities. Responding to this challenge, the U.S. government carries out a variety of policies and programs aimed at encouraging greater recognition of worker rights around the globe. The U.S. Department of State monitors worker rights abroad and reports on the status of those rights as part of its annual report to Congress in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Building on this history of monitoring and encouraging worker rights around the world, the Trade Act of 2002 includes on the list of overall trade negotiating objectives of the United States, promote respect for worker rights.

Monitoring International Labor Standards provides expert, science-based advice on monitoring compliance with international labor standards. This report identifies relevant, valid, reliable, and useful sources of country-level data on labor standards; assesses the quality of existing and potential data and indicators that can be used to systematically monitor labor practices and the effectiveness of enforcement in order to determine compliance with national labor legislation and international standards; identifies innovative measures to determine compliance with international labor standards on a country-by-country basis and to measure progress on improved labor legislation and enforcement; explores the relationship between labor standards compliance and national policies relating to human capital issues; and recommends sustainable reporting procedures to monitor countries' progress toward implementation of international labor standards.

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