Free trade treaty huge threat to workers
The transatlantic trade and investment partnership could undermine labour standards, pay, conditions and union rights, TUC Congress heard.
Composite motion C03, moved by Unite and seconded by GMB on Wednesday morning, called for the halting of negotiations on the free trade treaty known as TTIP, which are largely being conducted in secret by the European Union and the USA.
Speakers stressed that free trade agreements rarely, if ever, benefit working people and are pushed by corporations who use them as a means to maximise profits and further their own interests. Multinational companies can sue governments if they don’t agree with their decisions.It was stressed by many that TTIP will be a massive attack on our public services, especially the health service.
The treaty could undermine labour standards, pay, conditions and trade union rights as the US refuses to ratify core International Labour Organisation conventions and operates anti-union “right to work” policies in half of its states.