ABSTRACT
The trade/labour linkage has a long history. 1 It has become one of the most contentious contemporary issues in trade and labour policy circles and debates. 2 The idea of using international labour standards to protect workers from economic exploitation was fi rst promoted by individual social reformers in Europe in the fi rst half of the nineteenth century during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. The work of these reformers was later taken over by various non-governmental organizations. Calls for international labour legislation increased dramatically during the second half of the nineteenth century and found expression in various international organizations that were formed (often international associations of trade unions).
