[stop-imf] Reason 6 to Join IMF/World Bank Protests - Worker Rights

[Robert Weissman]

	HOW IMF/WORLD BANK POLICIES HURT WORKERS

	REASON NO. 6 TO JOIN THE FALL PROTESTS 
	AGAINST THE IMF AND WORLD BANK

	SEE WWW.GLOBALIZETHIS.ORG FOR PROTEST DETAILS

The structural adjustment policy package -- including privatization,
slashing of government spending, trade liberalization and opening to
exploitative foreign investment -- is, at its core, anti-worker. 

For poor countries, the IMF and World Bank's emphasis on exports is to a
considerable extent an entreaty to exploit cheap labor as a "competitive
advantage." But with countries around the world all forced to follow the
same strategy, relying on cheap labor becomes a race to the bottom --
with countries forced into a de facto race to the bottom to offer
foreign investors the lowest wages and least substantial labor
protections. 

Other elements of the structural adjustment package reflect especially
the IMF's contempt for workers. 

As outgoing World Bank economist Joseph Stiglitz says, the IMF views
labor as just another commodity. One of the IMF's emphases has been on
promoting "labor flexibility" - meaning making it easier for workers to
be fired. The Fund has supported regulatory changes throughout the
developing world to remove restrictions on government and private
employers firing or laying off workers. 

The IMF has actively promoted government downsizing, even though in many
countries the government is the major employer and there are few
prospects for alternative employment. 

The IMF has also viewed many worker benefits as too costly (if they are
provided by the government) or too inefficient (if required of private
employers). It has urged major scaling back of government pension
programs throughout the world. And it has even called for the roll back
of minimum wages in countries like Haiti. 

Respect for workers' right to organize is not included in the IMF's
structural adjustment policy.

For more, see: http://multinationalmonitor.org/mm2001/01september/sep01corp1.html

	-- SEE WWW.GLOBALIZETHIS.ORG FOR PROTEST DETAILS --