[Daily News | October 25, 2016 | Inside US Trade]
The AFL-CIO on Oct. 25 issued a report criticizing the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for “giving away crucial negotiating leverage” by ignoring the labor community’s recommendations on how to protect migrant workers under the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
AFL-CIO officials held a press call to discuss the report on TPP’s impact on migrant workers, chastising USTR for its alleged “lack of willingness” to push for provisions protecting those workers’ rights.
“The lack of protection for the global labor market is astonishing. Through the Labor Advisory Committee, we made concrete, proactive suggestions urging the USTR to include language in TPP to protect migrant workers – such as for equal rights and remedies for migrants and specific provisions against exploitative or fraudulent international labor recruitment practices. USTR’s lack of willingness to push for these issues will allow systems of exploitation in global supply chains to continue,” said Shannon Lederer, director of immigration at AFL-CIO.
