ISDS Case Map
labour | workers' rights
The postponement of a vote in the US Congress is just a temporary victory for Colombian workers, due primarily to the hard work of many Colombian trade unionists who have risked their lives visiting the United States to expose the crimes and violence against union leaders in their country.
The Diet (Japan's Parliament) is set to approve an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Indonesia, which will open the door to foreign nurses and care workers for the first time in history, government officials said.
The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) called on Congressional leaders to approve the trade pact claiming considerable progress in Colombian government efforts to protect trade unionists.
Edgar Paez considers himself fortunate to be able to campaign across the United States this month against the proposed US-Colombia free trade deal. Twenty-two members of his union - assassinated for their activism - weren't so lucky.
The reported exploitation of Filipino nurses in New Zealand gives a reason for the Senate to reject the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement, according to the Philippine Nurses Association.
Change to Win released a print ad today demanding the United States Congress reject the Colombia Free Trade Agreement deal that the Bush administration is threatening to send to Congress in the coming weeks despite strong opposition.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab told Congress on Thursday "the time is now" to approve a free trade agreement with Colombia, signaling a fight with lawmakers seeking stronger rights for workers.
The Government has pledged that its free-trade deal with China will not threaten the wages and conditions of New Zealand workers.
"Even if Colombia had a sterling record on human rights, if there were no assassinations of trade unionists, the Colombia free trade agreement would still be a bad idea," said Economic Policy Institute global policy director Tony Avirgan.
Barack Obama accused Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday of trying to walk away from a long record of support for NAFTA, the free trade agreement that he said has cost 50,000 jobs in Ohio, site of next week's primary.
