| Globalisation has a profound effect on the ways in which international labour standards are defined, implemented and enforced. The international community increasingly focusses on four ?core? labour standards: the freedom to organize and the right to bargain collectively, the prohibition of slavery and forced labour, the effective abolition of child labour, and anti-discrimination. The oversight-mechanisms of the International Labour Organization have been expanded, while other actors are making an effort to implement and enforce (?core?) labour standards. Many preferential trade agreements now contain a ?social clause?, and corporations include labour standards in their CSR-policies (corporate social responsibility). The research project examines the effects of these developments on the effective legal protection of workers. It specifically focuses on the various central, decentral and private oversight- en enforcement mechanisms. |
