What does it look like for a trade policy that promotes economic growth, opportunity, and security to put workers front and center? As the 19th U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai advanced a trade policy agenda committed to being a “force for good that grows the middle class and addresses inequality.” Under her leadership in the Biden administration, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) pursued novel enforcement actions and investigations linking trade and labor rights, fundamentally reimagining what a modern-day trade policy can do to protect and enforce labor standards for working people both domestically and abroad.
Join us for a conversation with Ambassador Tai and Professor Sharon Block on how the USTR leveraged innovative enforcement tools and relationships with key stakeholders to deliver wins for workers, their communities, and the economy.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Katherine Tai served as the 19th United States Trade Representative. As a member of President Biden’s Cabinet, Ambassador Tai was the principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on U.S. trade policy from March 2021 to January 2025. Her vision and leadership shaped the first worker-centered trade policy in U.S. history, harnessing the power of international relations and trade to enhance workers’ rights in the United States and across the globe.
Sharon Block is a Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School. Prior to returning to Harvard, she served as the Acting Administrator of the Office of Information.
