Oman decree on workers unions strengthens FTA

The US-Oman FTA requires Oman to broaden workers' rights to form unions. Why? It makes Omani goods more costly; it's a form of protection against free trade. It is inconsistent with free trade. So why did the US bargain for that condition? The US Congress must approve trade agreements; this is a way to buy enough Democrat votes to garner passage of the agreement.

UPDATE: Much more coverage of the US-Oman agreement here.

UPDATE 2: "US Democrats opposed to a free trade pact with Oman said that new reforms to the country's labour laws fall short of what is needed to win their support for the agreement.... they said a provision against forced labour was inadequate because it "does not address the withholding of workers' documents" - a situation the US State Department has said sometimes prevents foreign workers in Oman from changing jobs."