TUC votes for justice in world trade

The Trade Union Congress voted at its 2002 annual congress for substantial changes in the world trade regime to ensure that trade rules promote poverty reduction, respect for human rights, including labour rights, and environmental sustainability.

Composite motion 19, passed at the four-day conference in Blackpool in September, states: "Congress supports the efforts of like-minded organisations such as Oxfam, ETI and War on Want to campaign and win change on this issue."

The TUC, which on 12 September became the 55th organisation to join the Trade Justice Movement, urged the British government and the EU to:

• enable developing countries which respect basic human rights in employment to gain access to world markets
• work at the WTO for a fairer world trade regime and to reconsider its support for the GATS
• press for international trade agreements that enable countries to subsidise social costs in industries affected by global surpluses
• adopt a so-called "Tobin tax" on currency transactions with proceeds ring-fenced for poverty reduction projects.

» Composite motion 19 in full

» More news