In the global economy, multinational corporations move capital and jobs half-way around the world with the click of a mouse.
These companies—many of them American—seek out the lowest possible labor costs and weakest worker protections. Even if the jobs are not moved, corporate executives use the threat of moving to coerce concessions from their U.S. workers.
Some undemocratic governments, desperate for investment, facilitate the movement of jobs by competing in the global marketplace, denying their citizens the right to form a Union and protection from workplace abuse—including below—survival wages, physical attacks and even murder to crush Unions and workers’ rights.
In the public sector, the global rush to shift from publicly to privately managed public services is being used to boost profits and break Unions, driving down workers’ living standards and denying families access to essential services like healthcare, education and water.
In a world economy increasingly connected by international trade and investment, the need for enforceable rules in the global economy to protect workers’ rights—and to prevent a devastating drive to the bottom in labor standards—is critical.
AFL-CIO Executive Council on democratizing the global economy.
The AFL-CIO’s ongoing campaign to post the basic rights of workers in every workplace.
AFL-CIO Executive Council on Colombia.
Global Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work from the International Labour Organization.
The best way to achieve job security is to have an airline workers union. For many airline workers, job security is written into their contract. A corporate executive wouldn’t think of working without a contract. Why should you?
Prepared by the AFL-CIO, www.aflcio.org/