An empirical analysis of International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) annual surveys

Human Rights Quarterly

Volumn 22, Issue 1, 2000, Pages 167-186

  Weisband, Edward ^a,b,c   Colvin, Christopher J ^a,d  

^a VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b US Agy for Intl Development   (United States)

^c International Labor Office (ILO)

^d UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0006681535     PISSN: 02750392     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/hrq.2000.0014     Document Type: Review

References (20)

1. According to a survey conducted in 1995, corporations within the textile and apparel industry surveyed that claimed to have voluntarily adopted codes of conduct included the following: Dayton Hudson Corporation; Dillard Department Stores; The Dress Barn, Inc.; Family Dollar Stores; Federated Department Stores; Fruit of the Loom; The Gap; Hartmax Corporation; JC Penney Company; Jones Apparel Group; Kellwood Company; Kmart Corporation; Land's End, Inc.; Levi Strauss & Company; The Limited; Liz Claiborne; Mercantile Stores Company; Montgomery Ward Holding Company; Nike; Nordstrom; Oxford Industries; Phillips-Van Heusen; Price Costco; Ross Stores, Inc.; Russell Corporation; Salant Corporation; Sara Lee Corporation; Sears Roebuck & Company; Spiegel, Inc.; Stage Stores, Inc.; The Talbots, Inc.; Tultex Corporation; Venture Stores; VF Corporation; Wal-Mart Stores; Warnaco Group; and Woolworth Corporation. U.S. DEPARTMENT or LABOR, BUREAU or INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS, THE APPAREL INDUSTRY AND CODES OF CONDUCT: A SOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHILD LABOR PROBLEM? 22-41 (1996). In recent years, various governments have supported efforts to forge transnational as well as domestic coalitions among companies, trade unions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to promote international adoption of codes of conduct; examples include the White House Apparel Industry Partnership (AIP) in the U.S., the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) in the United Kingdom, and the Fair Trade Charter on Clothing in the Netherlands.
2. For an outline of the global campaign to adopt a social clause linked to trade negotiations within the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as seen from the perspective of international trade unionism, see INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, FIGHTING FOR WORKERS' HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY (1997).
3. See Lee Swepston, Human Rights Complaint Procedures of the International Labour Organization, in GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICE 99, 100-14 (Hurst Hannum ed., 2d ed. 1992). For a comprehensive overview of the ILO, international labor standards, and human rights, see HECTOR G. DE LA CRUZ ET AL., THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION: THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS SYSTEM AND BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS (1996). For a comparison between the ILO supervisory approach to human rights and the monitoring performed by other UN specialized agencies, see Virginia A. Leary, Lessons from the Experience of the International Labour Organisation, in THE UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL 580 (Philip Alston ed., 1992).
4. See Lee Swepston, Human Rights Complaint Procedures of the International Labour Organization, in GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICE 99, 100-14 (Hurst Hannum ed., 2d ed. 1992). For a comprehensive overview of the ILO, international labor standards, and human rights, see HECTOR G. DE LA CRUZ ET AL., THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION: THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS SYSTEM AND BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS (1996). For a comparison between the ILO supervisory approach to human rights and the monitoring performed by other UN specialized agencies, see Virginia A. Leary, Lessons from the Experience of the International Labour Organisation, in THE UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL 580 (Philip Alston ed., 1992).
5. See Lee Swepston, Human Rights Complaint Procedures of the International Labour Organization, in GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICE 99, 100-14 (Hurst Hannum ed., 2d ed. 1992). For a comprehensive overview of the ILO, international labor standards, and human rights, see HECTOR G. DE LA CRUZ ET AL., THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION: THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS SYSTEM AND BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS (1996). For a comparison between the ILO supervisory approach to human rights and the monitoring performed by other UN specialized agencies, see Virginia A. Leary, Lessons from the Experience of the International Labour Organisation, in THE UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL 580 (Philip Alston ed., 1992).
6. See Convention Concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (ILO No. 87), adopted 9 July 1948 (entered into force 4 July 1950), available on ILOLEX; Convention Concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively (ILO No. 98), adopted 1 July 1949, (1949), (entered into force 18 July 1951), available on ILOLEX. As of 1998, Convention No. 87 had been ratified by 122 ILO member states and Convention No. 98 by 139 member states.
7. INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, ANNUAL SURVEY of VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS 1983/84, ¶ 1.2 (1984). The first three ICFTU Annual Surveys covered two-year periods, e.g., 1983/1984, 1985/1985, 1985/1986; thereafter ICFTU Annual Surveys reviewed violations occurring during single yearly periods.
8. INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, ANNUAL SURVEY of VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS 1983/84, ¶ 1.2 (1984). The first three ICFTU Annual Surveys covered two-year periods, e.g., 1983/1984, 1985/1985, 1985/1986; thereafter ICFTU Annual Surveys reviewed violations occurring during single yearly periods.
9. INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, ANNUAL SURVEY of VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS 1983/84, ¶ 1.2 (1984). The first three ICFTU Annual Surveys covered two-year periods, e.g., 1983/1984, 1985/1985, 1985/1986; thereafter ICFTU Annual Surveys reviewed violations occurring during single yearly periods.
10. Id. ¶ 1.3.
11. Id.
12. Id.
13. Id.
14. See id. ¶ 1.1 (for an outline of the history of the decision to publish the ICTFU Annual Surveys).
15. Id.
16. The 1995 ICFTU Annual Survey lists violations of "individuals' trade union rights" in terms of four categories: murders, injuries, arrests/detentions, and dismissals. In addition, it lists "violations of collective trade union rights" in two categories: government interference and legal barriers. See Bill Jordan, Introduction to INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, ANNUAL SURVEY OF VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS 1995, at 1 (1995). The survey also provides regional averages for these six categories.
17. The 1995 ICFTU Annual Survey lists violations of "individuals' trade union rights" in terms of four categories: murders, injuries, arrests/detentions, and dismissals. In addition, it lists "violations of collective trade union rights" in two categories: government interference and legal barriers. See Bill Jordan, Introduction to INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS, ANNUAL SURVEY OF VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS 1995, at 1 (1995). The survey also provides regional averages for these six categories.
18. See id.
19. See id.
20. These workers may also include trade union officials or members.