A comparative study of labor rights in Guatemala after the enactment of DR-CAFTA

Abstract

In this study different variables proven to be correlated with labor rights to are used in a qualitative – descriptive study of the labor rights environment in the DR-CAFTA Latin American countries in order to determine if the current situation in Guatemala, subject of the first labor rights dispute under a free-trade agreement in United States history, is mirrored in each country, or is an environment unique to Guatemala. After a review of the variables this study concludes that Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all have similarly low levels of all the correlated variables studied, but that Guatemala does in fact present as having a political and legal environment that is less conducive to labor rights.