Monday, August 02, 2010

CAFTA and other FTAs

The Obama administration is filing a labor law complaint against Guatemala, saying treatment of workers violates CAFTA rules.  The article quotes Chris Sabatini at Americas Society/Council of the America:


He said the decision to file the complaint was in part “an attempt to appease some elements of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. by demonstrating that the labor protections built into Cafta were not empty gestures.” 


I agree, but I would add more for a regional context.  The administration has continually expressed support (albeit tepid) for FTAs with Colombia and Panama, but treatment of labor has slowed them down to almost a halt.  By taking such a measure, the administration is also sending a signal to those who oppose those FTAs that it will take labor issues seriously.

2 comments:

leftside 7:46 PM  

If this gets Guatamala to pass the labor reforms that are very much needed, fantastic. However, Guatamala will argue what about the violations in El Salvador and in Honduras? We know those places are no workers paradise, yet they face no action. Ultimimately this shows the limitation of CAFTA's "labor and environmental rights" enforcement regime. It is prone to political manuevering and not really about workers rights. It is about the appearance of concern for workers rights. Real concern for workers rights would start with US companies doing the exploitation around the world.

Defensores de Democracia 10:53 AM  

I am 100% sure that Obama will be a friend of Trade and FTAs, when he becomes stronger.

And he has become stronger last night :


Videos : Elena Kagan confirmed 63-37 by Senate as Supreme Court Justice - Legal Scholar, Former Law School Dean in Harvard - She is a Liberal Intellectual and Great Law Professor like Obama

See the video under my Happy Blather :

First time that the Supreme Court has three Women. - Democrats are very happy. She is very similar to Obama in Intellectual Makeup.

A Great Intellectual Victory for President Barack Obama. Ladies in the Senate are exultant that another Woman is in the Supreme Court.

Obama turns out to be the Greatest Feminist President !

Racists, Jingos and Machists are FURIOUS, REALLY FURIOUS !

Looks at the Fury and Passion against Justice Elena Kagan in the Senate and in the videos of YouTube.com ( The Politics of Hate and Fear ! )

The Machists are the Chauvinist Males that want to keep Women in a Subordinate Position.

Elena Kagan was accused in the Senate Hearings of having worked for the first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall ( 1908 – 1993). The first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Before becoming a judge, he was a lawyer who was best remembered for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for the victory in Brown v. Board of Education. He was nominated to the court by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967.

So, these hearings had racist overtones.

Elena Kagan was also accused in the Senate of "Liberal Judicial Activism", but nobody said that the Supreme Court today practices "Conservative Judicial Activism" in a proportion of 5-4.

Do not pray for the Death of an Old Guy because that is a Great Sin before God.

God Bless the USA, a nation that has been a leader in Women's Rights !

Is Feminism unavoidable Modernism or is it ingrained in the Soul of America ??

That is my question for Historians !

Youth, Minorities, Demography and Politics :

Milenials.com

Vicente Duque

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP