Labour Rights and Global Production

Do transnational corporations protect or violate labour rights? Is outsourcing a good means to create more jobs – and which jobs? The outsourcing activities of transnational corporations are a world-wide phenomenon and have been well documented in Asia but little in Europe. This publication draws a map of global production networks in Central and Eastern Europe and looks at the consequences of outsourcing for workers in Romania. The analysis shows that measures of corporate social responsibility have only improved a small range of labour rights. The interests of corporate procurement and corporate social responsibility still clash – low costs prevail over improved working conditions. The book also presents national and international instruments to protect labour rights in global production and explores ways to go beyond the current “soft law” and “good will” activities of corporations.