World Day for Decent Work website, www.wddw.org The world is on an unsustainable
path.
Vast numbers of working people
face insecurity in their jobs and the highest levels of inequality in living
memory. One half of working families
have experienced unemployment or reduced working hours in the past two years,
while 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty. Basic rights to union representation and
collective bargaining are under threat in many countries and under direct
attack in others. Employers are even
trying to undermine the right to strike, by challenging decades of legal
recognition for this most fundamental right at the ILO.
Too many governments are failing to
protect working people today, and failing to build a sustainable future for the
generations to come. Catastrophic
weather events caused by climate change are already ruining lives and
livelihoods, yet political leaders have still to find the courage to make a
global climate agreement. There are no
jobs on a dead planet, but when governments do act to reduce carbon pollution
and equip the communities and industries for the climate challenges to come,
many more jobs will be created.
The dominant global economic model is
destroying jobs and the planet. This weakens
democracy and undermines justice for all. The world’s trade unions are the most
potent force to defend democracy and fight for justice and a sustainable
future. On October 7 - the World Day for
Decent Work, unions across the planet will be holding rallies, workplace
activities, public actions and a multitude of other events, in support of
justice for workers and climate justice.
Together we can build workers’ power, organising and mobilising to hold
politicians and business to account, and to transform the failing economic
system of today to one that delivers prosperity for all on a sustainable planet.
Sharan Burrow
To upload information about your October
7 events, please go to the World Day for Decent Work website, www.wddw.org
Media advice from ITUC
