Social Work and Labor: A Look at the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation

Abstract

The North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC), a side agreement to NAFTA, provides an instructive example of an attempt to link global trade to labor standards. While this side agreement was created in order to bolster the internationalization of trade, it has brought labor, human rights groups, & governments together to scrutinize & challenge the ways that each NAFTA member country ensures the provision of basic health, safety, & human rights on the job. Effective enforcement of the agreement will come only with political pressure from a wide variety of groups interested in improving quality of life for workers & their families. However, despite growing recognition of the importance of international social welfare efforts, social work groups have yet to become involved in monitoring the effect of trade on worker quality of life. This lack of involvement is reflective of social work's general estrangement from organized labor, despite many common goals. Increased cooperation between unions & social welfare groups would benefit their respective, & frequently shared, clientele. 53 References. Adapted from the source document.