Subject: [cwj 51] Labor Unions Appeal to G-8 Leaders
From: Corporate Watch in Japanese <cwj@corpwatch.org>
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 15:28:51 -0700
Seq: 51

Wednesday July 5, 2000

Labor Unions Appeal to G-8 Leaders

By J.L. HAZELTON 
Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) -- An international band of union leaders urged the world's
richest nations Wednesday to address the inequities of globalization when
they meet at a summit later this month in southern Japan.

``Our goal must be development -- development that is democratically
equitable as well as socially and environmentally sustainable,'' AFL-CIO
President John Sweeney said.

Faster growth and higher living standards are possible if support is given
to those who have not benefited from the global economy, said Sweeney, head
of the United States' mightiest labor federation.

Sustainable development includes attention to consumers' concerns about
genetically modified foods and to possible effects on people who work in
biotechnology, the leaders said.

The possibility of full employment, action on promised debt relief for
developing nations and the reinforcement of labor standards worldwide are
some of the issues the Group of Eight leaders must address, said John G.
Evans, general secretary of the trade union advisory committee to The
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Firmer rules on international financial markets to prevent another crisis
like the one that hit Asia in 1997 should also be discussed, Evans said.

Other goals include addressing trade imbalances, particularly that of the
United States, and strengthening independent unions, Sweeney said.

Traditionally, labor leaders from the G-8 nations meet ahead of a summit
and present a statement to the head of the host country, in this case,
Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. The summit runs from July 21-23 on the island
of Okinawa.

The document will be presented to the leaders of the other G-8 countries as
well: the United States, Russia, Germany, France, Britain, Canada and Italy.

Mori told the union leaders there will be no success without the support of
business as well as labor and urged them to take their message home to
their own governments, Evans said.

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