At the International Labour Organization, the conflict on the right to
strike and the crisis of ILO’s supervisory mechanism persists and this is of
great concern to PSI and its affiliates. All too often, the right to strike is
denied to public sector workers, due to broad definitions of essential services
and limitations to collective bargaining or the right to organize, while some
governments commit outright violations of human and fundamental workers’
rights. Unions around the world have made use of the supervisory mechanisms of
the ILO to fight such violations, protect workers and build a stronger union
movement. In March 2015, the ILO Governing Body has to take a decision on the
resolution of this conflict that has had a chilling effect on the ILO
supervisory mechanism since 2012. If no agreement can be reached, PSI supports
the referral to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on
the matter, as foreseen in the ILO Constitution.
This conflict cannot stay within the walls of the International Labour
Organization and concerns all workers. Without the right to strike, trade
unions and workers have no means to fight for their rights. One hundred years
after the beginning of the First World War, our world is again up in flames
with regional and national conflicts that threaten world peace. In the aftermath
of the First World War, the ILO was created to ensure social justice would
prevail and its mission is as relevant as ever. There is also a direct link
between the conflict at the ILO and the ongoing free trade negotiations that
give preference to the interests of multinational companies. Labour clauses
that refer to ILO standards are no guarantee for the respect of workers' rights
if the ILO's authority continues to be undermined. Austerity policies and
structural adjustment programmes also aim to destroy collective bargaining
mechanisms and agreements. The crisis of the ILO must be seen in this context.
At the ITUC's General Council, a resolution was adopted that calls for a
Global Day of Action on 18th February (resolution attached).
PSI calls its affiliates to participate in the Global Day of Action, in
cooperation with the ITUC and other global unions to defend and promote the
right to strike.
Further communication will follow shortly.
·
Special
edition of the ICTUR magazine on the right to strike (subscriptions to the
ICTUR magazine here)
