Is murder a violation of labour standards? (US trade representatives seem to think not)

http://leftfootforward.org/2015/04/is-murder-a-violation-of-labour-standards/

A major row has broken out in the US over statements made this week by the United States Trade Representative (USTR), who claimed that murdering trade unionists did not violate Labour standards in trade agreements. The USTR also went on to say that that “perpetuating violence against a trade unionist doesn’t violate these agreements”.

Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, testified at the Senate Finance Committee hearing on legislation to grant President Barack Obama fast track authority to drive through the TTIP deal between the US and the EU. The legislation would also affect the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement between the US and twelve Pacific Rim countries.

Trumka said that the labour standards included in trade deals are poorly enforced, and that before he would back the White House’s push for the TTP or TTIP he wanted to see tougher labour provisions that could be enforced.

“When you say, ‘Oh these are some standards, they’re better than no standards’ we were told by the United States Trade Representative general counsel that murdering a trade unionist doesn’t violate these standards, that perpetuating violence against a trade unionist doesn’t violate these agreements.”

FULL story at link.