This year's celebration of International
Human Rights Day falls in a time of serious threats to social cohesion,
environmental sustainability and democracy. A few weeks after a series of
dreadful acts of terrorism, and while the UN Conference on Climate is ongoing,
Public Services International (PSI) wants to reaffirm its commitment to the
defence of human rights, core elements of fair and prosperous societies.“The unprecedented wave of violence across
the world urges us to reiterate our call for peace and solidarity. We are
ever more aware of the need to tackle the root causes of terror, such as social
exclusion and economic inequality,” said Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary.
Global instability is the consequence of
the profit-driven policies that also contribute to the alarming climate crisis.
However, the interests of multinational companies and a few economic global
players do not coincide with the objectives of climate and social justice, with
the respect of people's fundamental rights and freedoms.
In particular, PSI is concerned about the
major crisis facing human rights law and institutions. Multilateral bodies, such as the United Nations Human Rights Committee and
the International Labour Organization, are under attack. Human rights and
labour rights are undermined by the supra-legal status accorded to corporations
and investors in the new round of trade agreements, such as TPP, TTIP and
TISA. These agreements will make it increasingly difficult to guarantee
respect for human rights, environmental sustainability and universal access to
quality public services for hundreds of millions of people, especially in
emerging and developing countries.
Today, PSI affiliates and workers around the
world are faced with labour reforms that undermine the right to collective
bargaining and the right to strike, reforms that are imposed as part of
structural adjustment and austerity packages. In some countries,
collective agreements are being simply cancelled.
“We are outraged at the blatant denial of
fundamental rights at work and at the increase of
forms of bonded labour, unprecedented since the abolition of slavery,”
commented Rosa Pavanelli. “We call for the recognition and respect of
the right to organise, collective bargaining and the right to strike as a human
right for all workers, regardless of their status. Trade unions defend labour rights and work hand in
hand with the human rights movement, environmental justice groups and civil
society. Together, we must defend freedom of expression, and open political
dialogue and engagement. Human rights must supersede corporate rights.”
Background information
The UN launches a year-long campaign for the
50th anniversary of the two International Covenants on Human Rights:
the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which were
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966. The two
Covenants, together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, form the
International Bill of Human Rights, setting out the civil, political, cultural,
economic and social rights that are the birthright of all human beings.
Workers' rights to freedom of association
by forming trade unions are set out in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Cultural Rights. In the context
of freedom of association, the right of workers to strike is specifically
stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
ILO Convention 87 forms part of customary international human rights law. Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December. It commemorates the
day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Public Services International is a global trade union federation
representing 20 million working women and men who deliver vital public services
in 150 countries. PSI champions human rights, advocates for social justice and promotes
universal access to quality public services. PSI works with the United Nations
system and in partnership with labour, civil society and other organisations.
