Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights Conditionality in the International Trading Order

225 Pages·2016·0.73 MB·English

University of New Mexico
UNM Digital Repository
Political Science ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations
2-9-2010
Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights
Conditionality in the International Trading Order
Kimberly Nolan Garcia
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Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights Conditionality
in the International Trading Order

BY

Kimberly A. Nolan García

B.A. Political Science and Women’s Studies, DePaul University, 1998
M.A., Latin American Studies, University of New Mexico, 2001

DISSERTATION

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Political Science

The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico

December, 2009
©2009, Kimberly A. Nolan García

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DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to my husband Francisco
to honor his recuperation from brain injury
as I began to research and write this work.

The truth is he made better progress than I.
Pulling him through recovery was my most complex project,
and my toughest homework.

His Conclusion is my best chapter.

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Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights Conditionality
in the International Trading Order

BY

Kimberly A. Nolan García

ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Political Science

The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico

December, 2009
Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights Conditionality
in the International Trading Order
by

Kimberly A. Nolan García

B.A., Political Science and Women’s Studies, DePaul University, 1998
M.A., Latin American Studies, University of New Mexico, 2001
Ph.D., Political Science, University of New Mexico, 2009

ABSTRACT

This dissertation examines whether the incorporation of labor rights provisions
into trade agreements promotes labor rights enforcement in developing
countries. It draws on the international relations literature on transnational
advocacy as the starting point to ask how labor’s allies engage the trade
mechanisms as potential tools for promoting labor rights in supranational arenas.
Using original data, field observation, primary documents and interviews with key
participants, I examine how transnational labor rights advocates have engaged
these institutions through a research design that pairs quantitative analysis of the
NAFTA labor side agreement, with qualitative examination of a number of the
NAFTA cases and a set of labor violations cases in Puebla, Mexico. The
empirical chapters discuss the ways that transnational labor rights advocates
engage the labor rights enforcement mechanism as they attempt to secure a
review of their petitions from the quasi-judicial bodies charged with investigating
labor rights compliance. Transnational support has led to outcomes for labor that
include firm-level redress of labor rights violations and institutional changes
within Mexico. The implication for this work is that where labor clauses have had
an effect on labor rights practices within states, it has been at the intersection of
transnational civil society and international institutions. The research suggests
that the process of engaging the petitions mechanism can persuade or coerce
states into enforcing labor rights commitments, and emphasizes that
transnational advocacy provides a crucial element to realizing labor rights
enforcement where domestic efforts are weak.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES..............................................................................................IX
LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................X
CHAPTER ONE: TRANSNATIONAL ADVOCACY NETWORKS AND TRADE-
BASED LABOR RIGHTS CONDITIONALITY.....................................................1
The Effects of Globalization on Labor Rights Protections.................................6
Linking Trade and Labor Rights......................................................................10
Transnational Advocacy..................................................................................12
Labor Rights Networks....................................................................................18
Persuasion and Coercion in the Trade and Labor Linkage.............................23
The Mexican Case..........................................................................................26
Methods, Data, and Research Design............................................................29
Organization of the Dissertation......................................................................32
Conclusions....................................................................................................34
CHAPTER TWO: TRANSNATIONAL ADVOCATES AND LABOR RIGHTS
ENFORCEMENT IN THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT..37
Norms, Transnational Advocacy and Political Change...................................40
Labor Side Agreement Arbitration...................................................................41
Data and Indicators.........................................................................................45
Theoretical Expectations on the NAALC Process...........................................47
Case Acceptance........................................................................................49
Case Selection............................................................................................51
The Role of Worker Testimony....................................................................55
Multivariate Models.....................................................................................58
Case Resolutions............................................................................................64
Conclusions....................................................................................................65
CHAPTER THREE: PERSUASION, COERCION AND THE DOMESTIC COSTS
OF COMPLIANCE: EVALUATING THE NAALC RESOLUTIONS....................69
The NAALC Case Resolutions........................................................................74
Coercion and Compliance in the Mexican Case.............................................78
Mexico’s Democratic Evolution.......................................................................80
State Response across the Mexican Cases....................................................87
Federal Response: Changes in Policy and Practice.......................................96
ITAPSA........................................................................................................96
TAESA.......................................................................................................100
Local Interventions........................................................................................102
Han Young................................................................................................103
Maxi-Switch...............................................................................................106
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The Gender Case.........................................................................................110
Conclusions..................................................................................................113
CHAPTER FOUR: THE IMPACT AND LIMITATIONS OF TRANSNATIONAL
LABOR RIGHTS ADVOCACY: LESSONS FROM PUEBLA, MEXICO..........117
The Maquila Boom…....................................................................................121
…And Bust....................................................................................................125
Politicization of Union Representation..........................................................127
Union Recognition at Kukdong/Mexmode.....................................................130
Workers Take Action.................................................................................133
Transnational Support...............................................................................134
Union Registration and Resolution............................................................136
Transnational Tensions and the Kukdong Aftermath.................................139
Pushing Puma Around at Matamoros Garment............................................141
Puma Pushes Back...................................................................................144
Evaluating Failure at Matamoros Garment................................................147
Organizing the Consortiums: Tarrant Ajalpan...............................................149
Transnational Support...............................................................................150
The Brands Respond.................................................................................152
The Union Denied.....................................................................................154
Switching Strategies: The NAALC Submission.............................................157
The Review Process and NAO Resolution................................................161
Complementary Strategies?..........................................................................166
Conclusions..................................................................................................170
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS...................................................................174
APPENDIX A: NAALC CASES AND RESOLUTIONS 1994-2005..................183
REFERENCES.................................................................................................190

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Transnational Strategies and State Response....................................85

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