Labour and trade

VIKALPA • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY-MARCH 2015 1
A Race to the Top:
Should Labour
Standards be Included
in Trade Agreements?
Maria Artuso and Carolan McLarney
PERSPECTIVES
KEY WORDS
Labour Standards
WTO
ILO
Trade Agreements
presents emerging issues and
ideas that call for action or
rethinking by managers,
administrators, and policy
makers in organizations
T
he trade and labour debate is a sensitive and controversial issue. For a long
time, critics and advocates have debated the link between labour standards
and trade. Salem and Rozental (2012) indicate that the argument at the heart
of this debate is that developing countries will end up raising the standards for their
workers, and risk losing their comparative advantage, ultimately suffering a decline
in export performance, leading to a dwindling per capita income. Industrialized or
developed countries argue that developing countries have abusive working condi-
tions and their wages are suppressed. Advocates of trade-linked labour standards
aim to halt a ‘race to the bottom’ in which national labour conditions are reduced
in an attempt to lower production costs, expanding international trade and compe-
tition. These advocates believe that labour standards provided in trade agree-
ments level the playing field because they require countries to meet an acceptable
level of labour conditions and eliminate a source of ‘unfair’ economic advantage
(Salem Rozental, 2012). Although labour standards vary from country to country,
depending on the stage of development, per capita income, political, social and
cultural conditions and institutions, efforts have been made to identify and achieve
consensus on a group of core labour standards that should ideally apply universally
(Stern Terrell, 2003).
Although labour standards do not form part of trade agreement protocol, the inclu-
sion of such standards are becoming more common. The relationship between trade
agreements and labour standards is closely linked to changes occurring in the global
marketplace, and the labour market. With technological development, economic
enhancements, transformations in society, and transportation and telecommuni-
cation, there has been a clear impact on employment, business, works, as well as
on the regulatory and fiscal functions played by the governments (Grandi, 2009).
Governments play a key role in supporting trade agreements and labour stand-
ards which are sensitive and controversial issues, and are a primary stakeholder in
addressing international issues.
Currently, there is no consensus on to what extent organizing bodies should be
involved in labour issues, nor is there a clear concept as to how the various core
standards may interact with trade regulation.
VIKALPA
The Journal for Decision Makers
40(1) 1–14
© 2015 Indian Institute of
Management, Ahmedabad
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0256090915573610
http://vik.sagepub.com

2 A RACE TO THE TOP: SHOULD LABOUR STANDARDS BE INCLUDED IN TRADE AGREEMENTS?
THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONS
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global
international organization dealing with the rules of
trade between nations. The goal is to help producers of
goods and services, exporters and importers conduct
their business. The WTO is a place for governments to
negotiate trade agreements, settle trade disputes and
sort out trade problems they may face with one another.
According to Hill (2011), the WTO is an organization
that succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT) as a result of the successful completion of
the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations. At the time,
the GATT was negotiated, the framers of the Agreement
did not expect that consumers would be requesting
their governments to put barriers to market access in
place (Bakhshi Kerr, 2009). The developed countries
pressed the WTO to incorporate labour standards into
its mandate, but developing countries opposed these
efforts. These opposing views have made it difficult for
the WTO to create uniformity among the nations.
Following the establishment of the WTO, a number of
developed countries raised the issue of ‘unfair economic
advantage’ stemming from weak enforcement systems
and low labour standards (Salem Rozental, 2012).
Those in favour of including labour standards in trade
agreements are of the view that WTO should incorporate
labour standards because labour is a factor of produc-
tion, and failure by the government to regulate the
means by which labour is utilized creates trade distor-
tion. Developing nations fear that there is a relative
inability of these countries to improve their labour stand-
ards because of limited resources, and will therefore be
unable to meet the labour standards set out by the WTO.
A slightly different view supports the WTO for focusing
on incentives and preferences to help the developing
nations promote higher standards, ultimately incorpo-
rating labour standards in trade agreements, improving
labour which is a factor of production, and regulating
the environment of trade. This fundamental debate for
developing countries looks at the impact of competitive-
ness, and shows that inappropriate application of core
labour standards generally reduces competitiveness
through distortions, while applying core labour stand-
ards increases productivity and reduces the real costs of
contracting workers in developed nations (Grandi, 2009).
Such mandates of the WTO need to include equality,
impact on number of workers, pay, working conditions
and keep both developing and developed countries at
the forefront of their decision making. This will support
solutions that will enable successful future negotiations
among the WTO members.
International Labour Organization
TheInternationalLabourOrganization(ILO)wasformed
at the end of World War I to reflect on motives such as
improvement of living conditions of human beings and
illustratethegrowingimportanceofbasicworkers’rights
(Cottier Caplazi, 2004). Today, the ILO is regarded as
a unique organization, a tripartite. It is responsible for
drawing up and overseeing international labour stand-
ards. It brings together the governments with two
important sectors, the trade unions and the employer’s
organizations, to find common ground in basic labour
market issues. It is the only international organization
in which non-governmental organizations can partici-
pate and be on an equal footing with the governments.
The main objective of this organization is to promote
rights at work, encourage employment opportunities,
enhance social protection, and strengthen the communi-
cation that currently takes place on work-related issues.
The ILO’s primary goal is to achieve full and produc-
tive employment and decent work for all, including
women and young people (Haberli, Jansen, Monteiro,
2012). There are eight fundamental International Labour
Organization Conventions that form part of the basis
of consensus, and are otherwise known as the Four
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. These
include prohibition of forced labour, freedom of associ-
ation and effective recognition of the right to collective
bargaining, elimination of discrimination in employ-
ment and occupation, and effective abolition of child
labour (Stern Terrell, 2003). These rights are universal
and they apply to all people, regardless of their level
of economic development. In addition to these funda-
mental core standards, the other complementary labour
standards advocated through the ILO included accept-
able conditions of work, minimum living wage, limi-
tations on hours of work, and occupational safety and
health in the workplace. These are now listed among the
core standards with the ILO.
The issues surrounding the impact of trade, and the
need for benefits of trade agreements to be protected

by social and labour streamlining is the right focus for
the ILO to have a positive impact and efforts to work
with countries, improving enforcement of labour stand-
ards relevant to their national situation (International
Organization of Employers, 2006). This assistance from
the ILO will influence and enforce recognition that
continued attention from employers, and continued
support from interest groups, will reinforce the positive
impact for information and transparency of the linkage
debate. The ILO comprises representatives of govern-
ments, employers and workers who work together to
achieve the organization’s strategic objectives. Many
governments, especially those of low income countries,
have neither established nor enforced labour standards
effectively. By contrast, high income countries have an
enabling environment that makes it easier to estab-
lish and enforce labour standards. It is therefore not
surprising that higher national income is correlated with
complementingcorelabourstandards(SalemRozental,
2012). The ILO Declaration supports human rights in
the workplace, focuses on worker rights rather than
direct economic outcomes, and obligates all members to
promote the four fundamental labour principles regard-
less of the country’s development. This stresses enabling
rights, enabling people to fair compensation and to fully
achieve their potential as human beings.
Labour Unions
Labour unions are an important link to the discussion
of labour standards and trade. These organizations,
otherwise known as trade unions, support employees
on an equal playing level. They are important to the
set up of where workers can sign contracts for wages
and safety levels, and truly support the collection and
sharing of information to ensure an optimal alloca-
tion of resources, achieving equilibrium within indus-
tries, sectors, governments and countries. They allow
for voting to imply the sharing of information at the
same time to all workers. The government is seen as
the institution that provides the information and allows
the individuals to vote, and the labour unions follow
through on the implementation.
Labour unions in developed countries have argued that
a broad range of labour standards can be distorting, in
particular if the level of enforcement differs among
countries. Lower or poorly enforced labour standards
can provide a country with an unfair international
competitive advantage. The argument often made
by labour unions is that labour standards and poor
enforcement in developing countries is the cause of job
losses in developed countries. Given that labour stand-
ards also have a human rights attribute, it is sometimes
argued that imposing trade barriers against goods
produced in situations of low labour standards will
provide an impetus for exporting countries to raise
and/or better enforce their labour standards ((Table 1)
Bakhshi Kerr, 2009). Requests for worker’s protection
and equality across all nations are key considerations
for the general good of the population.
Table 1: Consumer and Producer Groups with Enforced Labour Standards
Consumer/Producer Groups Enforced Labour Standards
Rugmark Campaign · Under the auspices of the Child Labour Coalition/National Consumers League, a non-profit foundation, the
campaign labels hand-knotted rugs as being made by adults only and includes inspectors.
· Largely conducted in Germany, the campaign was extended to the US in 1996.
Fair-trade Foundation · Labels teas produced under good conditions with social benefits for workers on tea estates and operate through
major retailers, such as Sainsbury.
No Sweat Trendsetter List · US retailers and manufacturers pledge to eradicate sweatshops in the US under the aegis of the US Department
of Labour.
Clothing Industry Summit · Held under the auspices of television personality Kathie Lee Gifford and the US Department of Labour, it publiciz-
es connections between sweatshops and clothing makers.
Clean Clothes Campaign · A European effort to work on standards in apparel that is based in the Netherlands.
International Toy Campaign · A European effort to work on standards in toys that is based in London.
Individual Firms
Levi Strauss Company · Adopted code of conduct, following discovery of problems. Withdrew $40MM from China to protest human rights
violations. In 1992, the company paid school tuition for a Bangladeshi contractor’s underage employees to go to
school and return to work after age 14.
Reebok · Has in place a voluntary code of conduct for subcontractors, with Human Rights Programme.
Table 1 continued

The Gap · Facing pressure, signed an accord with the National Labour Committee for independent human rights monitoring
of its production facilities in El Salvador.
Liz Claiborne Clothes · Also under pressure, has begun to work with independent groups to monitor facilities.
Starbucks Company · Facing pressure from an activist group, it developed a code of conduct that involves standards for coffee producer
subcontractors in Guatemala.
Source: Bakhshi and Kerr (2009, p. 25).
Labour unions promote a stable and positive labour
relations environment. It fosters productive work-
place relationships. Examples of labour union involve-
ment include focus on settling workplace disputes
under various employment-related policies, assistance
in collective agreements and production of collective
bargaining information. Labour unions support social
and economic issues, workplace issues, international
issues and environmental issues. The Ontario Ministry
of Labour cites the union’s scope, which includes
taking a stand against abuse and exploitation of
cheap labour, ensuring better conditions for everyone,
producing a healthy workplace that is free of harm and
encourages long-term substance free environment, and
health and safety as well as job security, and fairness
(Ontario Ministry of Labour, 2013). Trade unions from
developed countries favour such a link, whereas trade
unions in developing countries continue to be divided.
Employers have been consistently against linkages of
any kind.
LABOUR STANDARDS IN GENERAL
Core Labour Standards and Fundamental
Labour Standards
Labour standards are very complex and are promoted
for a number of reasons. Efforts to create international
standards are an essential element for defining daily
lives in the workplace. Working conditions are critical
in shaping the realities of human dignity, and workers
deserve protection by standards under this basic
umbrella of human rights (Cottier Caplazi, 2004).
From an economic perspective, labour standards are a
necessary component of productivity, and support the
competitive environment and level playing field in the
international landscape. The difficulty in adhering to
core labour standards stems from the delicacy of the
topic in general. Labour standards are multiplied with
the relationship between government, trade unions,
and employers, and then coupled with economic
and political interests. The importance and value of
these core standards are not often adopted as part of
everyone’s global responsibility. With the pressures
of bringing labour standards into the WTO, and the
impact on policies pursued in the ILO, stronger efforts
were made to pursue essential standards with a view
to develop better ways and means to implement them
on the international front (Cottier Caplazi, 2004).
The following rights emerged as a result, and have
been labelled as the core standards: freedom of associa-
tion and collective bargaining, elimination of exploita-
tive forms of child labour, prohibition of forced labour
in the form of slavery and compulsory labour, and
non-discrimination in employment. These core stand-
ards are recognized as human rights, and do not enter-
tain controversial discussion of other labour standards
including wages, working hours or vacation.
The main objective of labour standards is to facili-
tate international trade. Fundamental labour stand-
ards encompass core standards, codes of conduct,
and also account for social advocacy and a consum-
er’s right to know the terms of trade policy. A consum-
er’s right to know entails seeking sufficient informa-
tion so that the consumer can choose or not choose to
consume a product that is produced in ways he/she
considers unacceptable. Social advocates want labour
standards in developing countries to improve, and see
trade agreements as a means to affect change in foreign
countries. In response, large organizations have devel-
oped corporate code of conduct for labour standards
in firms to which it outsources orders. These codes are
in response to consumer concerns and activist pres-
sures about labour standards (Bakhski Kerr, 2009).
It makes good business sense to include enabling codes
for the betterment of international trade, reputation
and socio-economic development.
Consumer/Producer Groups Enforced Labour Standards
Table 1 continued

Impact of Labour Standards on
Developed Countries
The majority of developed countries have ratified most
if not all ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work (Haberli et al., 2012). Astudy conducted used six
different outcome-based measures for labour stand-
ards in developed countries including the percentage
of total public expenditure of GDP, an index of labour
market well-being, actual weekly hours worked, trade
union density rates, the number of strikes and lock-
outs and occupational injuries. Overall, the results
of the study found an association between improved
performance and labour standards when standards
were higher (Haberli et al., 2012). Alternatively, a
secondary study was conducted on four fixed meas-
ures of labour standards including accident compen-
sation, factory inspections, maximum working hours
for women, and minimum age for child labour. These
results showed that the impact on labour regula-
tions of trade can negatively impact workers when
the firms and workers need to adjust to new labour
standards (Haberli et al., 2012). Developed countries
have raised the issue of unfair economic advantage
stemming from weak enforcement and reinforce-
ment systems and low labour standards. There is a
strong concern about the potential for a race to the
bottom, as countries might feel increased pressure to
downgrade their labour standards to maintain their
competitiveness.
Advocates of linking labour standards and trade policy
fear that increased trade and deeper integration of
globalization may lead firms to move production to
low-cost and low-standard locations, reducing wages
in countries that maintain and enforce high labour
standards, and motivate governments to weaken or
remove standards in an effort to improve their coun-
try’s competitive advantage. In countries where trade
with each other is fairly consistent because each has
the same labour standards, each developed country
will begin to export the unskilled labour-intensive
good, and import the skilled labour-intensive good. If
a developed country decides to lower its labour stand-
ards, the amount of unskilled labour will begin to
increase, wages will decrease, the number of employed
workers will increase, and there will be an outward
shift or lowering of production possibility (Bakhshi
Kerr, 2009).
Another development with labour related standards
imposed by private bodies and companies is to require
their suppliers from developing countries to comply
with certain social, environmental and safety norms
(Anuradha Dudha, 2011). As these private stand-
ards have become more of a regular means of doing
business, the increasing application of such standards
appears to be raising potential trade restrictions and
protectionist concerns. This race to the bottom would
not take place in the case of implementation of core
labour standards. It would ensure a level playing field.
Less developed countries considering core standards as
a tool would have the following impacts:
· it would leave their governments with minimal
international claims to respond to,
· it would assist the governments in enforcing
minimal standards,
· it would remove the fear that foreign investment
firms/multinational enterprises would threaten to
transfer production to a more favourable country
(Cottier Caplazi, 2004).
A study investigated the relationship of labour stand-
ards and the pattern with lower developed countries
and found that sectors that typically had egregious
labour conditions do not occupy a primary share of
a developed country’s trading landscape (Stern
Terrell, 2003). Goods from low labour standard coun-
tries displace products made by workers in high
labour standard countries, reduce their employ-
ment, encourage large organizations to outsource
jobs to countries with lower labour standards, taking
advantage of lower labour costs. Core labour stand-
ards were often lower in less export-oriented sectors
or non-traded sectors such as services, and changes
in technology and the structure of international trade
were a leading indicator to compete in a race upward
rather than a race downward (Stern Terrell, 2003).
There is no agreement or enforcement to link labour
standards and market access, but developed coun-
tries have the right to suspend the import of goods
produced under questionable practices.
Developing Countries
Labour unions in developed countries have argued that
labour standards can be trade distorting if the level of

enforcement between countries differs. Lower or poorly
enforced labour standards can profile a country with
an unfair international competitive advantage. This
argument in the debate of labour standards indicates
that poor enforcement in developing countries creates
job losses, and imposes trade barriers against goods
produced. These will result in lower labour stand-
ards in developing countries negatively impacting the
workers of developed countries. Developing coun-
tries have a high level of protection for workers. The
issue is that existing laws are not enforced. A country’s
inability to support these standards will have a nega-
tive impact on their economic and social development.
In order to achieve improvement, governments must
work directly with interest groups in these countries,
where this is a problem before including references in
trade agreements.
Labour standards, as much as there is consistency
in the core fundamentals, would be difficult for the
developing countries to adopt as norms, creating
further concerns on a multinational level. Developing
countries argue that the applicability and implemen-
tation of labour standards in their nations will depend
on how well the execution is, and feel that it will
likely fail because it is driven by the political will of
the country, and this is not generally strong. There is
a dividing line and distinction that developing coun-
tries follow with respect to the needs between interna-
tionally recognized human rights and respect for their
nations’ well-being. According to the ILO, developing
countries have not agreed on substantive commit-
ment in respect of labour standards in agreements, but
rather frequently mention joint projects, exchange of
information, and amicable consultation as examples
of cooperation (Haberli et al., 2012). Imposing outside
labour standards or policies in trade agreements on
developing countries that are not ready, may create a
recipe for failure. There is no enabling environment to
support a stronger rule of law that makes it easier to
establish and enforce labour standards.
Looking at the case of India, we see that it has ratified
four of the eight core ILO Labour Conventions: one on
equal remuneration, one on discrimination, and two on
forced labour. It has not ratified the core conventions
on freedom of association, collective bargaining, worst
forms of child labour or minimum wage. Although
efforts have been made, and some actual improve-
ments have been effected to improve the situation, the
enforcement of legislation remains relatively poor and
in the end sanctions are not sufficient.
Regional Trade Agreements
Different organizations have a different preference
with respect to which labour standards and provi-
sions are included or referred to in Regional Trade
Agreements (RTA). RTAs cover more than half of
the international trade and operate alongside global
multilateral agreements under the WTO. The OECD
website states that these agreements are attractive
because they are easier for a small group of neigh-
bouring countries with similar concerns and cultures
to agree on market access in a particular area than to
reach an agreement in a wider forum such as the WTO.
They also offer new approaches to rule-making and act
as stepping stones on the ways to implement multilat-
eral agreements. They usually include a commitment
to adhere to ILO’s fundamental principles, in addition
to committing to prevent the undercutting of domestic
labour standards, and/or improve upon the existing
domestic standards.
The present legal status of labour provisions in RTAs
remains unclear, despite more frequent and more
focused provisions. There are three main references
to domestic labour standards in RTAs that should
always be included and made to strengthen adher-
ence to the ILO, as well as national standards. The
three approaches include commitments to strive to
improve domestic standards, commitments not to
lower the existing domestic standards avoiding ‘race
to the bottom’, and commitments to basically imple-
ment existing domestic standards to adhere to struc-
ture, with the overarching objective of economic devel-
opment (Haberli et al., 2012). References to domestic
labour market regulation can be justified on economic
grounds. Commitments to not lowering the existing
domestic labour standards are most likely relevant
for high income countries. Developed countries hold
treaty agreements and a commitment by each trading
partner to ‘strive to ensure’ higher labour stand-
ards, and not to lower existing domestic standards.
On the other hand, developing countries either do

not contain any references to domestic labour stand-
ards or commit to undefined standard improvements
(Haberli et al., 2012). Most RTAs reserve the right of
the parties to establish their own labour standards,
recognizing that there is considerable discretion
regarding the overall enforcement.
There is a concern that developed countries are using
RTAs as a way of circumventing the WTO regula-
tions. The rush to various FTAs has been spawned by
the continued delays in the Doha Round. Countries,
particularly developing nations, are becoming
increasingly impatient. They are turning to a variety
of bilateral trade agreements to gain access to
markets. For instance, since the creation of the WTO,
there have been 511 RTAs compared to only 124 in
the previous 40 years. This rush, however, can mean
that we see the emergence of WTO-Plus provisions
in many RTAs. WTO-Plus issues include the environ-
ment, labour, investment, intellectual property rights
and competition.
The US and the EU have been the primary propo-
nents of WTO-Plus provisions in areas such as labour.
Interestingly, this is the area developing countries
resisted during WTO negotiations. Currently, at the
WTO there is no provision for labour standards in the
agreement.However,theissuehasbeenraisedanumber
of times, most notably by the Singapore Ministerial
Declaration which rejected the use of labour standards
for protectionist measures. At the WTO Ministerial
Conferences in Singapore (1996) and Seattle (1999), a
number of developing nations (including Brazil, Egypt,
India and Malaysia) vehemently opposed the pres-
sure from developed nations (the EU and the US) to
include labour standards within the WTO. The compar-
ative advantage of countries, particularly developing
(low-wage) nations, is a continued concern.
So, how do trade partners deal with WTO-Plus issues
such as labour in their trade agreements? There appear
to be two approaches: conditional or promotional.
The conditional approach has within the RTA legally
enforceable provisions in addition to sets of incen-
tives/sanctions to ensure compliance. We see this in
the US and Canadian RTAs. The promotional approach
focuses mainly on capacity building provisions with the
RTA. Trade agreements entered into by the EU exhibit
promotional elements as do some developing country
RTAs (Chile, the Philippines and Thailand).
Free Trade Agreements
Free Trade Agreements or FTAs are used among indus-
trialized countries. These agreements have proven to be
one of the best ways to open up foreign market access.
According to the International Trade Administration
(2006), the reduction of trade barriers and the creation
of a more stable and transparent trading and investment
environment make it easier and cheaper for companies
to export their products and services to trading partner
markets. Increasing consumer, investor and multina-
tional company demands for products produced under
decent labour conditions are shaping the rules of inter-
national trade. Most FTAs now include labour standard
provisions with varying degrees of enforceability. These
trade agreements generally cover the majority of the ILO
core labour standards, including freedom of association,
the right to form unions and bargain collectively, limita-
tions on child labour and the elimination of forced labour.
In addition, some of these agreements include cash stand-
ards on minimum wages, hours and occupational health
and safety. Although the ILO core labour standards are
mentioned in many agreements, they generally represent
aspirations rather than enforced standards.
FTAs recognize that social development is dependent on
economic development. According to Haberli, Jansen,
and Monteiro (2012), parties consider that economic
development must be accompanied by social develop-
ment. There is also a responsibility to guarantee basic
social rights, the ILO core labour standards as well as
the elimination of discrimination in respect of employ-
ment and occupation and the effective abolition of child
labour. Typically, in FTAs, there is no title preventing a
party from applying laws, regulations and requirements
regarding entry, as long as they are not applied in such
a manner that nullifies or impairs the benefits and true
desire of the overall agreement (Haberli et al., 2012).
There is a common desire to cooperate so that economic
opportunities can be translated into the development
of human resources and improvement in working and
living conditions of all countries. On the whole, there
is a certain trend towards better acceptance of social
clauses between developed and developing countries.

Impact of Labour Standards on Globalization
Fair Trade and Competitiveness
An increase in international competition can lead to a
decrease in the conditions of work and life better known
as the ‘race to the bottom’. This would not take place
if the core standards were implemented because the
international trading system would operate under the
same conditions, ensuring that a level playing field was
enforced. A strong corporate rationale in supporting
labour standards includes not only the brand of being
a good corporate citizen, but shows social advocacy for
being responsive to consumer demands, addressing
concerns seriously, and encouraging trade versus
inhibiting trade. These support the flow of free trade
and smooths out levels of competition.
According to Haberli, Jansen, and Monteiro (2012),
there is a lowering of labour protection in high income
countries; it appears to take place only between rich
countries. In middle-income countries, trade and labour
protection have a positive correlation with one another.
In low-income countries, there was no direct evidence
of lowering labour protection in relation to trade, but
was more regulatory in nature. Lower standards are
associated with higher trade; countries with low labour
standards would have lower costs of production, giving
them an unfair advantage over countries which provide
higher labour standards. While this competitive advan-
tage may be rewarding in the short run, it is argued that
the overall and long-term effect of low labour stand-
ards would result in workplace violations (Anuradha
Dutta, 2011).
The process of globalization will continue and trade and
international capital will flow, regardless of whether
trade and labour standards become unified. As coun-
tries become more in tune with wanting to increase the
size of the pie, with respect to international trade, new
opportunities for workers need to be developed with
the support of economic policies, while at the same
time, improving the working conditions of workers in
developed and developing countries.
Linking labour standards and trade supports increased
trade and deeper integration of global supply.
Increased trade may enhance rather than lower labour
conditions, since export growth may raise employee
incomes, expand opportunities for workers to move
from unprotected informal sector jobs to relatively
better protected export-oriented sectors, and fuel
stronger international pressure and activism aimed
at compliance (Salem Rozental, 2012). Increased
trade among countries with varying levels of worker
protection has questioned whether there is an unfair
comparative advantage over countries with higher
standards, and whether this generates competitive
advantage to reduce standards in a race to the bottom.
Free trade could increase and improve consumption
by the population, with the consequence of potentially
creating more and better work opportunities, quality
employment, promoting positive changes in working
conditions, and expanding social responsibility and
protection.
Efficiency and Productivity
Production under the same working conditions, espe-
cially in developing countries, would remove the fear
that foreign investment firms or multinational enter-
prises will transfer their manufacturing or produc-
tion to a lower cost producing country. Similarly,
when border protection is reduced, governments may
feel tempted to increase their competitive position of
domestic production by reducing costs of regulation,
lowering the level of protection provided to workers
within organizations, increasing the level of produc-
tivity and lowering the cost of doing business. In
the absence of internationally agreed upon rules, the
vicious circle of lowering labour standards to remain
competitive, impacting trade flow as well as the
human resource component of the business could get
further reinforced.
There is no clear evidence to suggest a relationship
between poor labour conditions and improved trade
performance. However, research indicates that enforce-
ment mechanisms, positive incentives and market forc-
es influence the impact of trade agreements on labour
standards compliance (Salem Rozental, 2012).
Based on consumer preference between two items for
purchase, each made under separate working condi-
tions and with different sets of principles and guiding
codes of conducts, most consumers would choose the
product made under better working conditions. Most
would pay some premium for that product, though as
the premium rises, the number willing to pay the extra

charge will fall, producing a demand curve for labour
standards in the product market (Freeman, 1996). It is
important that products are required to be produced by
a certain time, and in a certain manner. For example,
goods manufactured by exploited child labour, forced
labour or under conditions of social dumping may be
banned or restricted. The rationale is essentially an
argument of level playing fields (Cottier Caplazi,
2004). These measures are imposed in order to bring
about changes that are most efficient, and bring about
improvements in production, especially market access.
Standards versus Globalization
Core labour standards support good governance, and
ensures that there is meaning in law. Collaboration
between industrialized countries would take place
at a higher frequency than the current state, if this
existed. Globalization and increased social advocacy on
consumer’s rights, and their right to know continues to
be a strong motivation for labour standards. This appli-
cation of social advice can have and act as significant
barriers to trade, and can have a compromising effect
on companies, and their competitive advantage glob-
ally. Social advocates want labour standards to improve
in developing countries, and see trade agreements as a
means to affect change in foreign countries (Bakhshi
Kerr, 2009). Changes in technology and the structure of
international trade are leading developing countries to
compete in a race upward in terms of product quality
rather than a race downward with respect to price
(Bakhski Kerr, 2009).
As a result of globalization, more and more countries
are finding themselves in more open positions where
public scrutiny and cross-examination are prevalent.
With the public eye on at all times, how a company
operates, where the company operates and who the
company’s partners are, are typical awareness factors
that are reviewed regularly. As a result, there is a need
to project a positive image for the company, its values,
its beliefs and its ethics. Working conditions and
productivity have been raised amongst suppliers, the
opportunity to move out of poverty has been provided
where it did not exist before, and a greater awareness of
core labour standards is being imparted (International
Organization of Employers, 2006). Companies are well
aware of the damage that labour rights problems or
even perceived problems can have on their reputa-
tion, global trade plan and the standards identified for
implementation. Core standards involve changes in
labour relations practices, how workers are treated, and
has an economic effect on the elasticity of demand for
developing country products with respect to changes
in cost (Freeman, 1996). Labour standards can be trans-
mitted from importer to exporter countries, similar to
environmental standards; therefore supporting trade
openness or expansion of globalization is based on the
level of labour standards, not the overall level of trade.
RECENT EVENTS EXPLORED
Temporary Foreign Trade Workers:
RBC Outsources with iGate
In April 2013, the RBC Royal Bank found itself in a
public relations mess. At the heart of the media release,
the largest bank in Canada was said to be in the process
of contracting out jobs of Canadian staffers to lower
paid foreign workers (Tedesco, 2013). The subject of
foreign trade workers is a very controversial federal
law, which holds a lot of public scrutiny and outrage.
This programme has received a lot of air-time from
Human Resources and Skills Development, Canada, as
last year, there was a clampdown on misappropriating
its intent to import temporary sex trade workers from
outside the country (Tedesco, 2013). The programme is
meant to help companies solve growing labour short-
ages in certain industries. Similar to labour stand-
ards and trade, the foreign trade workers programme
is a code of conduct. Organizations and governments
agree to follow the standards laid out to in Canada’s
Temporary Foreign Workers programme to avoid
heavy punishment, but also to stay committed to
creating Canadian jobs, and supporting other national
labour shortages within the country. When a company
abuses this programme, they are using cheap labour, in
pursuit of lower wages. These are the core standards
applicable in trade agreements, supporting interna-
tional labour standards.
RBC’s external supplier, iGate, brought its own
employees into Canada under the temporary foreign
worker programme so that they could be trained at
bank branches for the services they would be providing
to the bank. iGate maintained that their hiring prac-
tices are in full compliance with all Canadian laws.
In 2008, iGate was ordered to pay the US Department

of Justice civil penalties to settle allegations that the
company had discriminated against American citizens
in its employment practices (Mehta, 2013). Two main
changes that will take place as a result of this includes
stricter rules for applications, new fees for employers
who apply, and a promise for stricter enforcement.
Critics say the programme is poorly managed; the
government issues labour market opinions and work
permits to companies without regulatory follow up,
and there is lack of attention being paid to the low
wages and bad living and working conditions many
temporary foreign workers are forced to live with
(Wyld, 2013). Outsourcing is an international trade in
the service sector, and the rationale to support it is an
economic business decision for countries and compa-
nies to invest and look after the supply and demand of
their goods in a profitable manner.
International laws and federal laws are implemented
for a reason. They support a country’s best practice; they
are an ethical way of doing business, conforming with
trade agreements, supporting international language of
business and supplying a code of conduct that is not
a guideline, but rather an obligation. This has a direct
impact on labour standards and trade. The tempo-
rary foreign worker’s programme abuse is a reminder
that instead of bringing in temporary workers, the
government should put more money and effort into
solving labour shortages through better education and
training, effectively improving wages and benefits for
all workers, and lastly, reducing discrimination linked
to off-shore hires, improving working conditions and
living standards.
LABOUR STANDARDS IN BANGLADESH
In April 2013, Loblaw Companies Ltd. was spotlighted
for a Bangladeshi building that caught fire, killing 348
people and rescuing 29 survivors. The victims and
survivors were employed in a massive garment indus-
trial company, with poor working conditions, where
$38 a month was paid to produce clothing for top inter-
national brands. Loblaw Inc. was one of the customers
of the factories operating in the building, providing
products for Canadian Joe Fresh subsidiary. The
owners of the building were ordered to evacuate the
building earlier that week of the tragedy when cracks
were found, but the factories ignored the order, and
continued to operate.
Loblaw is committed to finding solutions to this situ-
ation by expanding the scope of their requirements to
ensure the physical safety of workers producing their
products (Strauss, 2013). This underlines the weak
oversight that retailers have of the conditions of over-
seas suppliers’ factories and outlines that when formal
partnership and trade agreements are formed, with
key principles including health and safety concerns,
not being abided, there is an ethical, social, economical
and political problem at hand. In an effort to improve
the audit of outsourced companies, Loblaw Inc. has
reached out to industry groups, including the Retail
Council of Canada, and other retailers and govern-
ments, in an effort to establish a collective agreement
to review and address the Bangladesh situation, to
address factory standards.
With respect to labour standards and trade, this disaster
highlights the pressures the retailers and their suppliers
face in lowering costs to respond to customer’s demand
for cheap fashions (Strauss, 2013). Loblaw Ltd. admitted
that they aimed to create socially responsible products,
but their standards did not currently address building
construction or integrity. The company is committed to
finding solutions including expanding the scope of their
requirements to ensure the physical safety of workers
producing their products. In order to impact change,
it is the responsibility of the brands and labels of the
companies that outsource or international trading part-
ners of their garment line for business and efficiency
reasons to other countries, and the responsibility of
the whole industry and the government to bring about
change. Commitments to improving infrastructure and
policies within the country’s factories are in order. Also,
the linkage to trade agreements and labour standards
will support ethical and socially acceptable practices,
enabling and protecting human rights. This is both an
international and national obligation, to support the
factory workers in developing countries.
LINKING LABOUR STANDARDS AND
TRADE AGREEMENTS
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
was negotiated and implemented to facilitate greater
cooperation between Canada, the US and Mexico.

The objective was to promote the enforcement of each
country’s labour laws and regulations, and protect
and enhance basic workers’ rights. NAFTA partners
negotiated and implemented an agreement on labour
cooperation to improve working conditions, living
standards and to protect, enhance and enforce basic
worker’s rights in all three countries (NAFTA, 2013).
The key areas of focus with respect to domestic labour
laws include industrial relations, occupational health
and safety, and employment standards. In addition,
NAFTA has promoted higher wages as a result. In
Mexico, export firms employ one in five workers, and
these workers are paid 40 per cent more on average
than those in non-export jobs. Firms with foreign direct
investment employ nearly 20 per cent of the labour force
and pay 26 per cent more than the domestic average
manufacturing wage (NAFTA, 2013). The inclusion
of labour provisions offers a number of possibilities
to promote labour standards through international
economic governance, and substantiates the impact of
labour standards in globalization.
There is a common desire within NAFTA to support
and cooperate in the economic opportunities available
across all three countries. The protection of worker’s
fundamental rights is considered to be an important
element of an economy with high productivity, a shared
goal among all parties. The focus of NAFTA is tri-na-
tional, laying down fundamental principles for the
operation of administrative and jurisdictional bodies
and includes definitions on labour principles (Grandi,
2009). The scope and content of the labour provisions
include striving for a high level of national labour laws
in the area of core labour standards, as well as minimum
working conditions and migrant rights (Anuradha
Dutta, 2011). There is enforcement of labour laws in
these areas. The enforcement mechanisms of the labour
provisions include fines in the case of non-application
of national labour laws in the field of child labour, occu-
pational health and safety and minimum wage. Since
the NAFTA, specific labour rights provisions have been
included in several agreements negotiated.
Canada–Chile Agreement on Labour Cooperation
The Canada–Chile Agreement was developed in
response to support the free trade agreement that
already existed between the two countries. This was
an opportunity to adopt labour standards, similar to
Canada’s initial negotiation with the US in NAFTA.
It allowed both countries to facilitate a better devel-
opment of relations including government, workers,
social groups, labour relations, social security, work
inspection and transparency (Grandi, 2009). The first
change included a work plan to promote the exchange
of information and knowledge between both countries.
The second component was providing for complaint
and confliction resolutions procedures in relation
to labour laws in either country. These changes in
response to labour standards in trade agreements has
facilitated solutions without resorting to formal chan-
nels of problem resolution.
The outcomes experienced by both countries together
have been positive. The contacts between Canada and
Chile include aspects of public labour policies, social
dimension of globalization, child labour and more
international labour matters. The agreement has facili-
tated a better development of relations between Canada
and Chile, one of its principal achievements being the
opening up of opportunities for the governments, busi-
nessmen, workers and other social groups to appreciate
respective systems of labour relations and social secu-
rity, including systems of legislation and work inspec-
tion (Grandi, 2009). As a result of Chile’s experience
with Canada, Chile has also agreed on labour inclusions
with developing countries in support of their economic
partnership, and has established labour agreements
with China and Japan, two of the world’s largest inter-
national trading partners. The complements to these
trade agreements established include provisions of
labour standards and a strategic economic link to trade
within the FTA.
Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights
The agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPs) was a positive integration
into levelling the playing field of rules and principles
on an international basis. The agreement established
minimum standards in terms of production of human
rights, procedures for trade agreements and incor-
porates standards previously included in multilat-
eral agreements that can be leveraged as a guide with
national legislators and courts if required (Cottier

Caplazi, 2004). The development and implementation
of TRIPs, although specific to intellectual property, was
negotiated with developing countries in mind, espe-
cially the fields of agriculture and textile. This adoption
has been considered a milestone achieved, improving
market access, receiving active participation, and
providing a link between trade and labour standards,
with positive enforcement and acceptance, a relation-
ship that has been difficult to establish in other sectors.
The TRIPs Agreement introduced global minimum
standards for protecting and enforcing nearly all forms
of intellectual property rights. It now requires all WTO
members, with few exceptions, to adapt their laws to
the minimum standards, and introduce detailed obliga-
tions for the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
However, TRIPs also allows a degree of flexibility for
countries to accommodate their own patent and intel-
lectual property systems and developmental needs.
The TRIPs agreement has established positive rules
of conduct and enforcement, and the incorporation of
existing agreements administered by the ILO is legally
recognized in international law. It has allowed an
improved and complementary working relationship to
evolve between WTO and ILO, where there have been
much bureaucratic considerations and little advance-
ment made with respect to intellectual property.
CONCLUSION
The trade and labour linkage is a very sensitive and
controversial issue that has been debated for many
years. It continues to be a point of discussion interna-
tionally among both developing and developed coun-
tries. There are both supporters and opponents to this
debate. A ‘race to the bottom’ concern indicates that
labour standards will continue to be lowered in order
to remain competitive in global markets. Fundamental
and core labour standard and codes of conduct are a
means of ensuring that all parties are playing on a level
playing field. Differences in these labour standards
explain differences in trade patterns internationally.
Governments, labour organizations and international
organizations dealing with rules of trade between
nations play a key role in implementing labour provi-
sions, enforcement of foreign policy and enabling and
enforcing these inclusions.
There are social, technical, economic and political
implications at stake within the debate of ‘Should
Labour Standards Be Included in Trade Agreements’.
Developing and developed countries respond in very
different manners at multilevel provisions and agree-
ments. A review of trade agreements provided oppor-
tunities and outcomes to include ILO Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work, and the cooperation
between parties on the various systems of labour rela-
tions, social security, legislation and ensuring compli-
ance and complaint handling procedures. At the heart
of the debate, countries seek to be competitive in
the goods and services they provide, adding value,
improving international trade and achieving growth.
The result is the impact on fair trade, competitiveness,
efficiency, productivity and opportunity to expand
globally in footprint and economic cycle.
‘Should labour standards be included in trade agree-
ments’ is the questionable debate. This issue raises
many points of view from the consumer, employee,
employer, government and international organizations.
Labour standards are not an output of external enforce-
ment, but rather realized through internal economic
and social development and growth in a country.
This means that governments in poor countries must
implement solid growth strategies and specific policies
to eliminate poverty. Governments in rich countries
can help increase demand for poor countries’ output
by reducing barriers to imports from these countries.
Consumers in rich countries play a role in increasing
demand for products that are not produced by children
or sweatshops, ensuring their international colleagues
follow better labour practices. Rich countries should
support workers in recognizing how they can benefit
from the globalization process. All stakeholders in the
linkage between trade and labour standards should
be focused on being more flexible and adaptive to the
evolving global economy. The complement or alterna-
tive to including labour standards in trade agreements
is to be more effective in making workers and the econ-
omies better off through both economic change and
process of policies, mandating change.
It is the authors’ viewpoint that there is a place for
labour standards to be included in trade agreements,
both nationally and internationally. Labour standards,

code of conducts and fundamental principles of
work are foundational provisions that provide a level
playing field in trade agreements, promoting labour
standards through international economic governance.
The integration and linkage will only be successful if it
is enforced, and minimum standards are established
versus maximum standards, thereby not limiting
progress or implementation. The ILO, the WTO and the
labour unions must maintain open communication and
cannot reject any use of labour standards from parties.
Lack of enforcement of labour standards in trade
agreements should include the use of trade sanctions
and fines to reinforce the human rights component.
There is a direct correlation as seen in those countries
that have adopted free trade agreements accompanied
by labour standards, improving access to exchange of
good business practices, enabling innovative labour
and social policies, and expanding their experience
to negotiate with other parties on other agreements.
As seen in the two recent events explored, all parties
involved in any form of business-related activity,
industry, organization or country, should ensure that
labour provisions are included in trade agreements to
avoid negative impact on worker’s rights, health and
safety issues, environmental concerns, compensation,
migrant labour issues, human rights, security arrange-
ments, community engagement, ethical conduct, good
governance and rule of law. Table 1 recaps changes
and information regarding integration and linkage by
firms and labour standards.
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Tedesco, T. (2013). RBC’s now tarnished reputation tangled
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Maria Artuso is the Branch Manager at Royal Bank of Canada,
Ottawa, Canada. An MBA in Financial Services, she is also the
Manager, Business Performance at the RBC Bank.
e-mail: maria.artuso@rnc.com
Carolan McLarney is a Professor at the Dalhousie University,
Canada. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in
International Business and Strategic Management. Her areas
of interest include the interface between small businesses and
international business strategy, the use of strategic alliances
to garner success, and board governance issues, particularly
the use of outside directors.
e-mail: mclarney@dal.ca

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