Labor in the Americas: Issues Facing Economic Integration and Free Trade
University of Texas at Austin
March 10–11, 2005

Organized by Paulo Paiva, Tinker Visiting Professor, Spring 2005
Sponsored by the LBJ School of Public Affairs of the School of Law

Background

Labor relations are not homogeneous across countries in the American Hemisphere. On one hand in the United States and Caribbean countries of British background there is a low degree of regulation and ample space for collective bargaining with workers free affiliation to unions and predominance of customs and agreements. On the other hand, in the Latin American countries there are complex laws based on models originated in European model, especially Italy, with the predominance of written laws especially with relation to individual workers’ rights. In many countries union affiliation is compulsory, and in some countries there is a specific branch of the judiciary (labor courts) to deal with labor conflicts leaving not much space for collective bargaining.

These differences are reflected also in some labor market indicators. In the last years along with more economic integration (globalization) the unemployment rate in the Latin American countries have registered higher levels than in the United States and they also have experienced an increase in the so-called informal sector whose workers are not protected by labor laws. There are also other differences between United States and Latin American countries not related to the labor relations’ model, such as the average level of education and productivity of workers.

Union leaders, political authorities and academicians have raised questions on the impact in the labor markets of the increasing trend of economic integration and free-trade agreements. It is interesting to note that both in the United States and in emerging economies there is a perception that globalization (or trade integration) implies a reduction in jobs. Although this perception has no base on economic theory, it undoubtedly affects the political decisions.

Others aspects related to the behavior of labor markets in some countries deserve attention. For example, the risk associated with the lack of protection in labor markets may, in some way, affect the prices of their production in international markets. The most discussed case related to child labor. The increasing Latin American labor migration to the U.S. and its legal implication is also a worrying issue that, certainly, affects political decisions. Objective

This Conference on labor in the Americas aims at the discussion and understanding these issues in the perspective of political agents, labor union and corporate leaders, and the academic community. It does not pursue a consensus, but to establish an agenda of themes to organize the discussion and facilitate political decisions.

Agenda

1. Opening Section

2. Collective Rights and Individual Rights: what are the common issues and what are the differences between the two models; (two panels, one on the U.S. and the other on Latin America);

3. Evidence of the impacts of trade integration on the level and structure of jobs and on wage levels; the perspective of workers, employers, and academicians;

4. International Migration: How to deal with the issue in the context of FTAA negotiations; a panel with one academician and two political agents (ministers for example) or, eventually, a lunch key note speaker;

5. Is there a common agenda on labor relations, which could be object of FTAA negotiations? A panel including a political agent, an academician, and leadership from labor unions and corporate management;

6. Closing Section.Participants: Current and former labor ministers of the region, Congressmen, labor union and corporate management leaders, and academicians will be invited to the Conference. It is expected the presence between 12 and 15 invited participants in addition to professors and students of University of Texas.