An Effective Confluence Of Forces In Support Of Workers' Rights: Ilo Standards, Us Trade Laws, Unions, And Ngos

Many say that while the ILO ably sets international labor standards and monitors compliance with them, it "has no teeth." However, when trade unions and human rights NGOs petition the US government to declare certain developing countries that violate workers' rights to be ineligible for benefits through the GSP and OPEC programs, incremental progress can be made in reducing those violations. Six country cases: Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Korea, and Swaziland show how, in this effective confluence of forces, the unions and NGOs provide the "eyes and ears," the ILO provides the "brains," and US trade legislation provides the "teeth.".