Two major groupings of US and Malaysian unions have vowed to ban together in a bid to block the US-Malaysia free trade agreement (FTA).

The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) and the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said this would be their stand unless their respective governments adequately address the deteriorating state of workers' rights and labour standards.

They warned they would strongly oppose the continued negotiation of the trade talks and would work together to ensure that it was not implemented.

"We share concerns that violations of workers' human rights have reached crisis levels, while secure and well-paying jobs have been replaced with casual and irregular work in both countries," said AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and MTUC secretary-general G Rajasekaran (photo) in a joint declaration.

If things continue as they are and migrant workers' human and job-related rights continue to be routinely violated, it will result in dire consequences which will ultimately destablise society in both countries, they said.

Malaysian and US negotiators concluded the fourth round of negotiations less than two weeks ago in San Francisco, but have expressed doubts that talks can conclude by July as originally scheduled.

Among the sticking points are provisions relating to government procurement, the services sector and investment. Malaysia has remained reluctant, in particular, to commit to US proposals for chapters on labour and environment.

According to AFL-CIO and MTUC, the FTA is based on the same 'failed model' as the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with its weak protection of workers' rights and the undermining of governments' ability to regulate in the public interest and provide essential public services.

Nafta's protection of multinational corporate investments and profits, on the other hand, are "excessive".

"Indeed, there is evidence that the Malaysian government continues to oppose any labour protections in the trade agreement, based on a misguided notion that achieving economic growth and international competitiveness must be at the expense of core labour rights," they said.

"We believe that a more just and humane integration, a system designed to eliminate the enormous social and economic inequities at both national and international levels, is possible and desirable."

At minimum, they said, it must incorporate strong and effective mechanisms to protect labour and social rights; compensation policies to correct inequities resulting from restructuring; mechanisms for transparency and participation; clear policies against corruption; fair rules for trade and investment, services, procurement, agriculture, and the environment; and a more human migration regime.