Niforou, Christina (2011) International Framework Agreements : addressing the democratic deficit of global industrial relations governance? PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

Abstract

International Framework Agreements (IFAs) constitute a significant attempt for the global governance of labour. IFAs are negotiated documents between global union federations and multinational companies that stipulate compliance with core labour rights and whose application extends to company operations worldwide. IFAs are a rather novel phenomenon. The first agreement was signed in 1988 while the overwhelming majority of the current total of 75 have been concluded since 2002. Although literature on IFAs is increasing, there are significant gaps on their impact in the host countries and supplier sites of the signatory companies. The thesis examines the local impact of three IFAs analyzing and assessing processes and outcomes of implementation, enforcement of compliance and monitoring. The empirical focus is on Latin America and the telecoms, energy and apparel sectors. Methodologically, the thesis adopts a comparative case study design with embedded cases while employing different methods: a small-scale survey, face-to-face interviews and internal documentation. Conceptually, the study adopts a global governance perspective borrowing notions largely established in international political economy and applying them to an industrial relations problem. The thesis finally draws a number of policy implications for global unions, multinationals and the International Labour Organization.

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