Worker Rights Petitions

Some U.S. trade programs (e.g. GSP, ATPA) provide for a process under which an organization can file a petition with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).  The petition asks the U.S. government to investigate ("review") a country's treatment of workers to determine whether or not GSP benefits should be suspended for lack of progress in respecting worker rights.  USTR can decide to dismiss a petition out of hand or accept it for review. Review essentially puts a country on probation. After a review period (which can last for years), USTR can end the country's review, suspend duty-free treatment on one or more products (e.g. sugar), or suspend the country from the program in its entirety.

Worker rights petitions have been the single most effective source of U.S. leverage for promoting worker rights in Latin America.  

Passage of free trade agreements, e.g. CAFTA, is gradually wiping out the petition process of U.S. trade programs and weakening the potential of U.S. leverage to support worker rights abroad.

A USLEAP worker rights petition is currently pending on Ecuador.  See the Trade Resource section for a listing of selected worker rights petitions.

See our GSP section for a listing of selected worker rights petitions. 

Trade Pressure Used to Support Workers