GLOBALIZATION AND LABOR STANDARDS - A REVIEW OF ISSUES

This article examines some of the major contending positions in the on going debate on the role of international labour standards in the cont ext of globalization. It covers the debate in international political fora and in recent economic analyses on the desirability and feasibili ty of a social clause, the impact of core labour standards on competit iveness and economic development, and the relative merits of alternati ve instruments for achieving a fuller observance of core labour standa rds. It shows that a wide gulf still prevails between contending posit ions and that the empirical evidence to resolve some of these differen ces remains limited and inconclusive.