Switzerland -Trade unions push for labour rights and standards -October 13, 2014

Nov 6, 2014 - After four years of negotiations, Switzerland has become the second European country to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with China.

After four years of negotiations, Switzerland has become the second European country to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with China. The trade unions, together with several NGO’s, committed the negotiating party to the inclusion of a ‘durability chapter’ in this FTA, which emphasises human rights and labour rights as well as environmental standards. Regarding ILO core standards, both countries commit to respecting those that have been ratified. This is highly problematic as China has ratified only 4 (excluding the standards protecting freedom of association and prohibiting forced labour). Nevertheless, the agreement contains a reference to both parties’ obligations arising from membership of the ILO and from the major ILO declarations on labour rights and social justice, observing all 8 core standards.

English: http://column.global-labour-university.org/2014/10/switzerland-china-free-trade ...  

 

For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.

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