U.S. Seeks Consultations With Bahrain Over Alleged FTA Labor Violations

摘要

The Obama administration this week requested formal consultations with Bahrain to discuss U.S. allegations that the Bahraini government violated the labor chapter of a bilateral free trade agreement in the wake of anti-government protests in early 2011, as initially charged by the AFL-CIO. In a May 7 press release announcing the move, Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said he expected the consultations to lead to a "collaborative discussion and positive resolution" to the labor violations alleged by the United States. "We look forward to working with Bahrain to improve respect for labor rights through the mechanisms provided by our trade agreement," he said.