We are excited to announce that we will be stepping up our Trade and Labour Programme, a joint initiative of the TASC Platform and the World Economic Forum's Trade and Investment team , with support from the Laudes Foundation.

Our mission? To contribute to efforts to redefine the landscape of trade, making it more inclusive, and bring together leaders from across domains: business, workers, civil society, and policymaking.

Together, we can shape a future where trade and labour market policies work hand in hand, paving the way for economic growth, sustainable development, and improved worker well-being. This, we believe, is the cornerstone of achieving broader social justice objectives especially during times of ‘polycrisis’, marked by increasing povertyand decent work deficits .

WHY IS THIS RESEARCH NEEDED NOW?

Over recent decades, the relationship between trade and labour has ignited debates among policymakers, academics, labour unions, business leaders, and civil society organizations, revolving around potential linkages or disconnects and the question of whether trade is good or bad. For sure, international trade has helped to increase opportunities to transition to formal employment and to lift millions of people out of poverty, as highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, not all workers and businesses have benefited equally from trade. Job polarization, exploitative work and income inequality have led to the increased public scrutiny of trade liberalization and, specifically, trade agreements. 

To be sure, trade—whether in goods or services—does not occur in a vacuum. It has an impact on social, environmental, human, and workers’ rights issues. Achieving equitable globalization necessitates a mutually beneficial relationship between trade and labour. Recognizing this, there has been a significant shift, with governments, social partners, and civil society demonstrating a growing appetite for integrating trade and labour. Notably, approximately half of the trade agreements concluded in the last decade (2011-2020) included labour provisions, compared to only 22 percent in the previous decade (2001-2010). 

In our turbulent times, a new momentum for trade and labour synergies is emerging as the global landscape undergoes a major reshaping:

• New threats and the emergence of more polycentric trade patternshave led to overlapping production networks that target different end markets, spanning both the global North and South. This marks a departure from the previous focus on North-South oriented production networks.

• New technologies and digitalization have gained prominence, with a growing emphasis on trade in digital services and technological platforms.

• Challenges related to climate change and resource scarcity have intensified, resulting in an increased demand for businesses to drive social and environmental innovation and implement sustainable practices within their value chains.

• Labour practices in supply chains have gained broader attention, highlighting the need to address labour issues in various trade policy areas. Issues like forced labour have become significant focal points in international discussions, both at the multilateral and bilateral levels. The adoption and implementation of laws and policies related to minimum wages, working hours, and healthy and safe working conditions are growing in importance. This involves creating opportunities for work that ensure minimum standards are upheld and adequate income is generated while maintaining social protection and inclusive growth.

• Moreover, robust multistakeholder dialogue and cooperation can foster an environment more conducive to long-term improvements in domestic labour standards and pave the way for a just transition during interlinked crises.

Against this dynamic and evolving backdrop, the Trade and Labour Programme aims to:

• Inform policymaking through multistakeholder research and recommendations for improvement and innovation, particularly in the context of various transitions affecting labour markets

• Support more constructive interaction among trade and labour policymakers, academics, labour unions, business leaders, and civil society organizations

• Improve awareness of the topic among leaders, executives and the general public to support policy change.

TRADE AND LABOUR PROGRAMME - NEXT STEPS

The Trade and Labour Programme, will implement the following activities over the next two years:

• Phase 1: The Trade and Labour Steering Group is created to bring together a multistakeholder community,composed of leaders and experts. Interviews and workshops will inform a policy paper on the trade policy tools for better labour outcomes.

• Phase 2: Two country-level, sector-specific case studies will be conducted to provide practical insights and evidence.

• Phase 3: Country-level learnings will be fed into multilateral, regional and bilateral processes in coordination with international organizations and civil society. A final policy paper will be published and disseminated.

GET INVOLVED

We are actively seeking partners to help shape and advance this transformative initiative. Here are ways you can participate:

• Contribute to our publications and participate in our events.

• Share your experiences from the private or public sector perspective through interviews, helping us uncover new issues and innovative solutions.

• Follow and take part in our events and actively help us shape the agenda towards creating a more equitable and inclusive global trade environment where the welfare of workers is at the forefront of policy discussions.

For more information, please email:

Kitrhona Cerri, Executive Director, TASC Platform at kitrhona@tascplatform.org

Aditi Sara Verghese, Policy Lead, International Trade and Investment at aditisara.verghese@weforum.org

Stay connected with us for more exciting updates!