IWS Documented News DAILY POSTINGS: February 2007

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Compensation and Working Conditions Online
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/home.htm

Medical Plan Type, Fee Arrangement, and Financial Intermediaries, 2006 [27 February 2007]
by Frank Conlon
http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20070215ar01p1.htm

Abstract:
BLS data show that just over half of all workers in private industry participated in some kind of employer-provided healthcare plan as of March 2006; of those, 55 percent were enrolled in "fee-for-service plans" and 29 percent were enrolled in health maintenance organizations.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 5:02 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO)
COMPARATIVE STUDY

Teamwork and high performance work organisation [31 January 2007]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/TN0507TR01.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/TN0507TR01.pdf
[full-text, 59 pages]

This report provides a comparative overview of teamwork, based on the European Working Conditions Surveys and 16 national contributions to a questionnaire. It considers how teamwork has developed as a new form of work organisation and takes into account the context at national and company level. The study assesses the positive and negative influence of teamwork on diverse aspects of working conditions, such as job autonomy, job satisfaction, work intensity, productivity and the learning environment. It also investigates the prevalence of teamwork according to various factors including sex, sector and occupation. The national contributions from the following 16 countries are available (as PDF files):

< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/AT0507TR01.pdf > Austria
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/BG0507TR01.pdf > Bulgaria
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/CZ0507TR01.pdf > Czech Republic
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/DK0507TR01.pdf > Denmark
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/EE0507TR01.pdf > Estonia
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/FI0507TR01.pdf > Finland
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/FR0507TR01.pdf > France
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/DE0507TR01.pdf > Germany
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/HU0507TR01.pdf > Hungary
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/IT0507TR01.pdf > Italy
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/NL0507TR01.pdf > Netherlands
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/PT0507TR01.pdf > Poprtugal
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/RO0507TR01.pdf > Romania
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/ES0507TR01.pdf > Spain
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/SE0507TR01.pdf > Sweden
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/UK0507TR01.pdf > United Kingdom

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 3:42 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC)

The role of competence and qualification development in fostering workforce mobility [16 February 2007]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emcc/content/source/eu07001a.html?p1=reports&p2=null

In a seminar organised for members of its Company Network, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions discussed the role of competence and qualification development in fostering workforce mobility. The seminar was held in Thessaloniki on 9-10 November 2006, and was organised by the European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC) in cooperation with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). The introductory presentations summarised the policy context and the results of recent research on mobility in Europe. The second part of the seminar highlighted initiatives undertaken at European and national level aimed at promoting the transparency and recognitions of qualifications of employees. The final session discussed the implications of these policy objectives for employers and employees. Four companies Electricité de France Group (France), the Bank of Cyprus (Cyprus), Telefónica S.A (Spain) and Neorion Syros Shipyards (Greece) presented their approach to the competence development and mobility of their employees. [CASE STUDIES]

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 4:50 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) Online

Social partners and the social security system [20 February 2007]
February 2007
http://eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2005/10/study/index.html
or
http://eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2005/09/study/tn0509103s.html

Abstract:
The unemployment benefit systems were established at quite different times in the various European countries. In the new Member States, these systems are a fairly recent phenomenon. In some countries, the role of employees and employers in the system has remained of major importance, while in others this function has partly or fully been taken over by the state. This comparative study examines the different forms of unemployment benefit systems, the degree of social partner involvement in various countries, and the consequences of these forms of involvement. The study covers 13 of the 15 'old' EU Member States except Portugal and Luxembourg, as well as a sample of the new Member States Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia and also includes Norway.

Includes numerous TABLES....
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 4:39 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Population Reference Bureau (PRB)

The Crossover in Female-Male College Enrollment Rates [February 2007]
http://www.prb.org/Articles/2007/CrossoverinFemaleMaleCollegeEnrollmentRates.aspx

by Mark Mather and Dia Adams

This is part of a series of PRB articles about the science and engineering (S&E) workforce in the United States, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional state-level data on the S&E labor force will be available this spring, in PRB's 2007 U.S. Population Data Sheet. Data for this article are based on the Population Reference Bureau's analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and 2005 American Community Survey.

(February 2007) Since 1991, the proportion of young women enrolled in college has exceeded the enrollment rate for young men, and the gap has widened over time. In 2005, about 43 percent of women ages 18 to 24 were enrolled in college, compared with 35 percent of young men. This represents a major shift in the gender balance at U.S. colleges and universities. Between 1970 and 2005, the gender composition has shifted to the extent that women now make up the majority54 percentof the 10.8 million young adults enrolled in college.

[chart]

Several reasons have been cited for this crossover, including gender differences in academic achievement (girls do better in high school than boys), changes in societal values, and a shift in women's expectations for future employment.

Some researchers have focused on these trends as a positive development for young women, who still lag behind men in labor force participation rates and earnings. Others view these trends as evidence of the growing social, behavioral, and economic problems facing young men, particularly those in lower-income groups. Some colleges are now actively recruiting male students in order to bring men's enrollment rates in line with those of women.

Regardless of whether these trends are good or bad, they need to be viewed in a broader context. In particular, what happens to these highly educated women once they leave college? And how do these gender differences relate to broader race/ethnic and state/regional differences in enrollment? Policymakers and campus officials need to pay attention to these issues before they create new gender-based recruitment policies and programs.

AND MORE...including CHARTS....
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 3:28 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2006 [27 February 2007]
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/wkstp.toc.htm
or
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/wkstp.nr0.htm
or
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/wkstp.pdf
[full-text, 10 pages]

Major work stoppages idled 70,000 workers with 2.7 million lost workdays in 2006, the U.S.
Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The number of workers involved
declined from 2005, but the number of workdays lost increased by an additional 1 million over
the 2005 figure. The major work stoppages series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes
and lockouts involving 1,000 or more employees and lasting at least one shift. For work
stoppages that began in 2005, only days of idleness in calendar year 2006 are counted.

     The total number of lockouts and strikes beginning in calendar year 2006 was 20. For
2005 there were 22 stoppages, with 1.7 million workdays of idleness involving 99,600 workers.
(See table 1 and charts A-C).   Of the 20 major work stoppages beginning in 2006, 12 were
in private industry and eight were in State and local governments. In private
industry, five work stoppages occurred in both manufacturing and construction, and one
stoppage each in janitorial services and automotive dealerships. Of the eight work stoppages
in State and local governments, four work stoppages involved municipal and county workers, two
involved educational services, and one each in public transportation and health care.

     While the number of work stoppages and workers involved both declined from 2005 to
2006, the number of lost workdays rose substantially, due to the length of some work
stoppages. The mean length of a work stoppage beginning in 2006 was 26.5 days, up from
20 days in 2005 and 14.6 days in 2004. The median length of a work stoppage beginning in
2006 was 10 days, up from 6 days in 2005, and 5 days in 2004. Most work stoppages are
relatively short in duration, but the mean is influenced by several long work stoppages.
The longest work stoppage beginning in 2006 lasted 211 days and involved the AK Steel
Corporation and the Armco Employees Independent Federation.

     The largest work stoppage in terms of idleness was between Northwest Airlines and
the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, with 812,100 workdays lost in 2006 and
1,183,800 workdays lost in total since the work stoppage began on August 20, 2005. The second
largest work stoppage in terms of idleness, and the largest in terms of worker participation
with 12,600 employees involved, was between the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the
United Steelworkers of America, with 718,000 days idled in 2006.

AND MORE...including TABLES....
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 3:22 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Mercer

Employers with 401(k) plans providing richer match rates, survey finds
United States
New York, 26 February 2007
http://www.mercerhr.com/pressrelease/details.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1259715;jsessionid=UIXYBVTD35MSGCTGOUFCIIQKMZ0QUJLW

As more and more organizations move from a defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan, the match rates for these plans are becoming more generous. The number of 401(k) plans with a match rate of 100% has steadily risen over the past five years, from 26% of plans in 2002 to 36% in 2006, according to a recent study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

The Spotlight on Benefits , an analysis of the benefit programs of more than 1,025 US employers, indicates that the majority of organizations offer pretax retirement savings plans90% sponsor either a 401 (k) or 403 (b) plan.

"While a 50% matching contribution continues to be the most prevalent match level, the number of employers matching at 100% has risen steadily," said Patricia Pou, a principal with Mercer Human Resource Consulting who specializes in defined contribution plans. "This increase is consistent with the move from defined benefit pension plans to 401(k) plans." (See Table 1.)

AND MORE...including the following TABLES....

Table 1: Five-year History of 401(k) Match Rates (percentage of plans)

Table 2: Benefit value comparisons by industry
(as a percentage of market median; median is 100% or $26,900)
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 1:34 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RL33864

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)/Fast-Track Renewal: Labor Issues [2 February 2007]
February 2, 2007
Mary Jane Bolle, Specialist in International Trade, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33864_20070202.pdf
[full-text, 22 pages]

Summary
Trade promotion authority (TPA), formerly known as "fast-track" authority, is
scheduled to expire July 1, 2007. With it will expire the authority: (a) that Congress
grants the President to enter into certain trade agreements, and (b) for Congress to
consider the agreements' implementing legislation under expedited procedures.
Currently, the Administration is negotiating a number of trade agreements that may
not be completed before the current TPA is set to expire. If these activities are to
continue, TPA/fast-track renewal may be a central issue in the 110th Congress. Within
the debate, a major issue is expected to be whether to include as a principal
negotiating objective in trade agreements, "enforceable core labor standards."
Two TPA/fast-track authorities have incorporated labor provisions. The first,
the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (OTCA), which expired in
1994, included the broad, general objective: "to promote worker rights." The North
American Free Trade Agreement, with its labor side agreement, was negotiated under
OTCA. The second and current TPA/fast-track authority with labor provisions, the
Trade Act of 2002, includes protections for labor, modified by protections for country
governments, businesses and investors. Seven free trade agreements (FTAs) with
Chile, Singapore, Australia, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman, and the Dominican Republic
and Central America were negotiated under this authority. All have only one
enforceable labor requirement: that each country not fail to enforce its own labor
laws in a manner affecting trade between the parties. (In contrast to this, the
U.S.-Jordan FTA, negotiated in 2000 and approved in 2001 without TPA/fast track
authority, includes enforceable labor provisions.)

Major options for labor provisions in renewed TPA focus on whether principal
negotiating objectives should include "enforceable core labor standards." Supporters
argue that including these could help: (1) slow the offshoring of certain U.S. jobs; (2)
protect foreign workers against exploitative corporate behavior; (3) support the
ability of workers to share in the gains from international trade; and (4) fend off an
international "race to the bottom" based on labor costs. Opponents argue that: (1)
core labor standards should be promoted by the International Labor Organization, not
by trade agreements; (2) as countries develop, they adopt higher labor standards on
their own; (3) stronger worker protections could discourage international investment;
and (4) labor standards are disguised protectionism. History shows that with or
without FTAs, trade will likely continue to grow.

This report examines issues relating to TPA/fast-track labor provisions in the
larger context of global labor issues. It: (1) identifies the players and their positions;
(2) tracks the enforceable labor provisions in TPA/fast-track laws and the FTAs
negotiated under them; (3) presents some legislative options for new TPA/fast-track
labor provisions; and (4) sets out arguments for and against enforceable core labor
standards. Finally, it looks at possible outcomes and implications of the various
legislative options. This report will be updated as events warrant.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Which Set of Core Labor Standards? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Who Cares About Enforceable Core Labor Standards, and Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Labor Advocates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Business Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Developing Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
U.S. Executive Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Key Labor Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Laws and in Trade Agreements Negotiated Under Them .. . . . . 5
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988: NAFTA . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
No TPA/Fast-Track Law: The Jordan Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002: Seven Trade Agreements . . . . . . . . 6
Legislative Options for TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 1: No TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 2: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal with No Enforceable Labor Provisions . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 3: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Similar to Those Under the Expiring Authority . . . .. . . . 9
Option 4: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Setting out Enforceable Core Labor Provisions as Principal Negotiating Objectives . . . . . . . . . 9
The 2001 Rangel Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Arguments For and Against Enforceable Core Labor Standards as a Principal Negotiating Objective . .. . . 10
General Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Arguments Related to U.S. Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Arguments Related to Foreign Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sovereignty Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Arguments on the Definition of Core Labor Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Possible Outcomes and implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

List of Figures
Figure 1. TPA/Fast-Track Laws and Their Labor Provisions, and FTAs and Their Enforceable Labor Provisions, 1974-2007 .. . . . . . . 8

List of Tables
Appendix Table 1. Worker Rights Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Authority, 1974-2007 . .. . . . 16
Appendix Table 2. Key Labor Provisions in FTAs Negotiated Under Various TPA/Fast-Track Laws . . . . 17
Appendix Table 3. Enforceable Labor Provisions Included in H.R. 3019 (Rangel, 107th Congress) . . . . . . 18
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:13 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Small Business Administrtion (SBA)

Report on the Regulatory Flexibility Act, FY 2006 [26 February 2007]
Annual Report of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy on the Implementation of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 13272
February 2007
http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/flex/06regflx.pdf
[full-text, 77 pages]

Research Summary
http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/flex/06regflx_rs.pdf
[full-text, 2 pages]

Highlights
Advocacy's work in FY 2006 to implement the provisions
of the RFA and E.O. 13272 produced the following
results:

Advocacy sent more than 40 public comment
letters to federal agencies detailing concerns about
proposed regulations. The largest shareabout 30
percentof the comments addressed inadequate
analyses of small entity impacts.

Quantifiable cost savings were achieved in 16
regulations in FY 2006. These interventions saved
small businesses $7.25 billion in first-year costs and
$117 million in annually recurring savings.

The cost savings figures only begin to capture
the totality of Advocacy's involvement and the
effects of the RFA in improving the regulatory
climate for small firms. Preproposal communications
with agencies mean that better regulations are being
drafted at earlier stages, even before costs have been
identified in many cases. Often these early stages are
where the greatest benefits are achieved.

Advocacy continued to train agencies on how to
comply with the RFA and established an online training
site at www.sba.gov/advo/rfaonlinetraining.html

The Office of Economic Research is a part of
Advocacy that continues to provide economic data
that helps agencies identify small business sectors
affected by specific regulations.

In Advocacy's state-level RFA initiative, eleven
states introduced regulatory flexibility legislation
in 2006 and four statesColorado, Georgia, South
Dakota and Tennesseeenacted regulatory flexibility
legislation or an executive order.

Thirteen states and one territory had active
regulatory flexibility statutes as of 2006, and 29 had
partial RFA statutes.
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:13 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RS22609
February 22, 2007

Obesity Discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act [22 February 2007]
Jennifer Staman, Legislative Attorney, American Law Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22609_20070222.pdf
[full-text, 6 pages]

Summary
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides broad nondiscrimination
protection for individuals with disabilities. However, to be covered under the statute,
an individual must first meet the definition of an individual with a disability. Questions
have been raised as to whether and to what extent obesity is a disability under the ADA
and whether the ADA protects obese individuals from discrimination. This report
provides background regarding how obesity is covered under the ADA and its
supporting regulations. It also discusses some of the ways in which courts have applied
the ADA to obesity discrimination claims.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:13 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RS22608
February 21, 2007

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Renewal:
Core Labor Standards Issues: A Brief Overview [21 February 2007]
Mary Jane Bolle, Specialist in International Trade, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22608_20070221.pdf
[full-text, 6 pages]

Summary
This report is a brief overview of key issues addressed in CRS Report RL33864,
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Renewal: Core Labor Standards Issues. Trade
promotion authority (TPA), formerly known as "fast-track" authority, is scheduled to
expire July 1, 2007. With it will expire the President's authority to negotiate trade
agreements that Congress will then consider without amendment and with limited
debate. For the 110th Congress, a likely issue in this debate is whether to include
enforceable core labor standards as a principal negotiating objective in trade
agreements. Accordingly, this report (1) identifies key labor provisions in the current
TPA law and how they have translated into free trade agreements negotiated under it;
(2) presents some legislative options, and summarizes arguments for and against listing
enforceable core labor standards as a principal negotiating objective; and (3) looks at
possible outcomes and implications of the legislative options. This report will be
updated as events warrant.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:13 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- 8 MARCH 2007
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

[as of 26 February 2007]
256 websites currently linking to the IWD 2007 site ...
222 IWD 2007 events currently listed from 19 different countries ...

[excerpts]
2007 IWD EVENTS
Each year on 8 March, thousands of International Women's Day events occur all around the world from Alaska to Zambia. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organised events that have been planned throughout the previous year.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:13 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Commission
Eurobarometer
Special Eurobarometer 273

European Social Reality [26 February 2007]
Fieldwork November December 2006
Publication February 2007
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_273_en.pdf
[full-text, 196 pages]

This report studies successively the various dimensions covered by the survey.

. First of all, we shall focus on life in the European Union as perceived by
European Union citizens, looking at personal happiness, life satisfaction,
family life, work, leisure time, voluntary work and politics, issues that
together form the cornerstone of European society.

. In the second part of this report we examine the relationship between
people's personal future and the collective future. The survey shows that
these two futures are perceived very differently by citizens. We also look at
life in the European Union for future generations.

. The third part of this report focuses on two important social realities of the
European Union: firstly poverty and social exclusion and secondly,
immigration.

. Lastly, we focus on some choices and solutions: what should be done to
guarantee the financing of pensions, how the social welfare system is
evaluated in each country and can it serve as a model for other countries and
should all students have equal access to higher education?

Table of Contenst
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................3
1. Living in the European Union today...............................................5
1.1 Are Europeans happy?....................................................................... 5
1.2 Life satisfaction ................................................................................ 7
1.3 What do European consider important ............................................... 14
1.4 Family life ..................................................................................... 16
1.4.1 The family as a support network ....................................................... 16
1.4.2 The division of labour ...................................................................... 17
1.4.3 Satisfaction with the facilities for children in the local area.................... 19
1.5 Work ............................................................................................ 21
1.5.1 Job satisfaction .............................................................................. 21
1.5.2 Learning new things at work ............................................................ 23
1.5.3 Work stress ................................................................................... 25
1.5.4 Staying in work .............................................................................. 27
1.5.5 Career progression ......................................................................... 29
1.5.6 Finding a new job ........................................................................... 30
1.6 Leisure time activities and voluntary work.......................................... 34
1.7 Trust in political institutions ............................................................. 37
2. Different personal and collective futures? ...................................40
2.1 People's assessment of their personal situation ................................... 40
2.2 The issues of concern for Europeans.................................................. 43
2.3 Future expectations ........................................................................ 47
2.4 Life in the European Union for the next generation .............................. 49
2.5 The concerns for the next generation................................................. 52
2.6 Getting ahead in life........................................................................ 57
3. Other social realities...................................................................60
3.1 Poverty and social exclusion............................................................. 60
3.2 Immigration................................................................................... 68
Special EUROBAROMETER 273 "European Social Reality" Report
- 2 -
4. Choices and solutions .................................................................72
4.1 Pensions........................................................................................ 72
4.2 The social welfare system ................................................................ 76
4.3 Education ...................................................................................... 80
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................83
ANNEXES
Tables
Technical note
Questionnaire
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 11:12 AM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RS22609
February 22, 2007

Obesity Discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act [22 February 2007]
Jennifer Staman, Legislative Attorney, American Law Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22609_20070222.pdf
[full-text, 6 pages]

Summary
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides broad nondiscrimination
protection for individuals with disabilities. However, to be covered under the statute,
an individual must first meet the definition of an individual with a disability. Questions
have been raised as to whether and to what extent obesity is a disability under the ADA
and whether the ADA protects obese individuals from discrimination. This report
provides background regarding how obesity is covered under the ADA and its
supporting regulations. It also discusses some of the ways in which courts have applied
the ADA to obesity discrimination claims.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 4:20 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RS22608
February 21, 2007

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Renewal:
Core Labor Standards Issues: A Brief Overview [21 February 2007]
Mary Jane Bolle, Specialist in International Trade, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22608_20070221.pdf
[full-text, 6 pages]

Summary
This report is a brief overview of key issues addressed in CRS Report RL33864,
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Renewal: Core Labor Standards Issues. Trade
promotion authority (TPA), formerly known as "fast-track" authority, is scheduled to
expire July 1, 2007. With it will expire the President's authority to negotiate trade
agreements that Congress will then consider without amendment and with limited
debate. For the 110th Congress, a likely issue in this debate is whether to include
enforceable core labor standards as a principal negotiating objective in trade
agreements. Accordingly, this report (1) identifies key labor provisions in the current
TPA law and how they have translated into free trade agreements negotiated under it;
(2) presents some legislative options, and summarizes arguments for and against listing
enforceable core labor standards as a principal negotiating objective; and (3) looks at
possible outcomes and implications of the legislative options. This report will be
updated as events warrant.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 4:08 PM

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RL33864

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)/Fast-Track Renewal: Labor Issues [2 February 2007]
February 2, 2007
Mary Jane Bolle, Specialist in International Trade, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33864_20070202.pdf
[full-text, 22 pages]

Summary
Trade promotion authority (TPA), formerly known as "fast-track" authority, is
scheduled to expire July 1, 2007. With it will expire the authority: (a) that Congress
grants the President to enter into certain trade agreements, and (b) for Congress to
consider the agreements' implementing legislation under expedited procedures.
Currently, the Administration is negotiating a number of trade agreements that may
not be completed before the current TPA is set to expire. If these activities are to
continue, TPA/fast-track renewal may be a central issue in the 110th Congress. Within
the debate, a major issue is expected to be whether to include as a principal
negotiating objective in trade agreements, "enforceable core labor standards."
Two TPA/fast-track authorities have incorporated labor provisions. The first,
the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (OTCA), which expired in
1994, included the broad, general objective: "to promote worker rights." The North
American Free Trade Agreement, with its labor side agreement, was negotiated under
OTCA. The second and current TPA/fast-track authority with labor provisions, the
Trade Act of 2002, includes protections for labor, modified by protections for country
governments, businesses and investors. Seven free trade agreements (FTAs) with
Chile, Singapore, Australia, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman, and the Dominican Republic
and Central America were negotiated under this authority. All have only one
enforceable labor requirement: that each country not fail to enforce its own labor
laws in a manner affecting trade between the parties. (In contrast to this, the
U.S.-Jordan FTA, negotiated in 2000 and approved in 2001 without TPA/fast track
authority, includes enforceable labor provisions.)

Major options for labor provisions in renewed TPA focus on whether principal
negotiating objectives should include "enforceable core labor standards." Supporters
argue that including these could help: (1) slow the offshoring of certain U.S. jobs; (2)
protect foreign workers against exploitative corporate behavior; (3) support the
ability of workers to share in the gains from international trade; and (4) fend off an
international "race to the bottom" based on labor costs. Opponents argue that: (1)
core labor standards should be promoted by the International Labor Organization, not
by trade agreements; (2) as countries develop, they adopt higher labor standards on
their own; (3) stronger worker protections could discourage international investment;
and (4) labor standards are disguised protectionism. History shows that with or
without FTAs, trade will likely continue to grow.

This report examines issues relating to TPA/fast-track labor provisions in the
larger context of global labor issues. It: (1) identifies the players and their positions;
(2) tracks the enforceable labor provisions in TPA/fast-track laws and the FTAs
negotiated under them; (3) presents some legislative options for new TPA/fast-track
labor provisions; and (4) sets out arguments for and against enforceable core labor
standards. Finally, it looks at possible outcomes and implications of the various
legislative options. This report will be updated as events warrant.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Which Set of Core Labor Standards? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Who Cares About Enforceable Core Labor Standards, and Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Labor Advocates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Business Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Developing Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
U.S. Executive Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Key Labor Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Laws and in Trade Agreements Negotiated Under Them .. . . . . 5
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988: NAFTA . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
No TPA/Fast-Track Law: The Jordan Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002: Seven Trade Agreements . . . . . . . . 6
Legislative Options for TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 1: No TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 2: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal with No Enforceable Labor Provisions . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 3: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Similar to Those Under the Expiring Authority . . . .. . . . 9
Option 4: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Setting out Enforceable Core Labor Provisions as Principal Negotiating Objectives . . . . . . . . . 9
The 2001 Rangel Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Arguments For and Against Enforceable Core Labor Standards as a Principal Negotiating Objective . .. . . 10
General Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Arguments Related to U.S. Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Arguments Related to Foreign Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sovereignty Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Arguments on the Definition of Core Labor Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Possible Outcomes and implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

List of Figures
Figure 1. TPA/Fast-Track Laws and Their Labor Provisions, and FTAs and Their Enforceable Labor Provisions, 1974-2007 .. . . . . . . 8

List of Tables
Appendix Table 1. Worker Rights Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Authority, 1974-2007 . .. . . . 16
Appendix Table 2. Key Labor Provisions in FTAs Negotiated Under Various TPA/Fast-Track Laws . . . . 17
Appendix Table 3. Enforceable Labor Provisions Included in H.R. 3019 (Rangel, 107th Congress) . . . . . . 18
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************

# posted by SBasefsky : 4:08 PM

IWS Documented News DAILY POSTINGS

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

[IWS] BLS: Medical Plan Type, Fee Arrangement, and Financial Intermediaries, 2006 [27 February 2007]

[IWS] EWCO: TEAMWORK & HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK ORGANISATION [31 January 2007]

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

[IWS] EMCC: COMPETENCE & QUALIFICATIONS & WORKFORCE MOBILITY [16 February 2007]

[IWS] EIRO: SOCIAL PARTNERS & SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM [20 February 2007]

[IWS] PRB: CROSSOVER IN FEMALE-MALE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT RATES [February 2007]

[IWS] BLS: MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2006 [27 February 2007]

[IWS] Mercer: EMPLOYER MATCH RATES on 401(k) Plans RISE [26 February 2007]

[IWS] CRS: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal: LABOR ISSUES [2 February 2007]

[IWS] SBA: Report on the Regulatory Flexibility Act, FY 2006 [26 February 2007]

[IWS] CRS: OBESITY DISCRIMINATION and the ADA [22 February 2007]

[IWS] CRS: TPA Renewal: CORE LABOR STANDARDS ISSUES [21 February 2007]

[IWS] INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- 8 MARCH 2007

[IWS] Eurobarometer: EUROPEAN SOCIAL REALITY [26 February 2007]

Monday, February 26, 2007

[IWS] CRS: OBESITY DISCRIMINATION and the ADA [22 February 2007]

[IWS] CRS: TPA Renewal: CORE LABOR STANDARDS ISSUES [21 February 2007]

[IWS] CRS: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal: LABOR ISSUES [2 February 2007]

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