Labor Standards and Human Rights Abuses: A Look at Some Neglected Rights Issues

International Trade and Finance Association, Forthcoming

17 Pages Posted: 30 May 2003

See all articles by Robert W. McGee

Robert W. McGee

Fayetteville State University - Department of Accounting

Yeomin Yoon

Seton Hall University - W. Paul Stillman School of Business

Abstract

Various groups have been demanding that discussions of labor standards be included in all future trade negotiations. The press is full of stories of alleged exploitation of child labor and other employment abuses in developing countries and human rights groups have demanded that something be done about it. However, the press and the academic literature have neglected various property, contract and association rights issues relating to labor standards in lesser developed countries. This paper attempts to remedy that deficiency and to start a discussion of some issues that have been overlooked or inadequately discussed. The tools of analysis will include both utilitarian ethics and rights-based ethics.

Keywords: Labor Standards, Labor Agreements, Human Rights, Ethics, WTO, Child Labor, Property Rights, Contract Rights, Association Rights, Sanctions, Globalization, Protectionism

JEL Classification: D23, D6, D7, F13, F16, J8, J82, K1, K31, O24, P14

Suggested Citation

McGee, Robert W. and Yoon, Yeomin, Labor Standards and Human Rights Abuses: A Look at Some Neglected Rights Issues. International Trade and Finance Association, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=409040 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.409040

Robert W. McGee (Contact Author)

Fayetteville State University - Department of Accounting ( email )

Fayetteville, NC 28301
United States

HOME PAGE: http://robertwmcgee.com

Yeomin Yoon

Seton Hall University - W. Paul Stillman School of Business ( email )

400 South Orange Avenue
Finance Department
South Orange, NJ 07079
United States
973-761-9229 (Phone)

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