Colombia and the Americas maintain the lead in a grim record of murder and repression of workers involved in trade union activities in the latest world Annual Survey of violation of trade union rights released by the ITUC at the 100th ILO Conference.
Overview
The Annual Survey, conducted across 143 countries, paints a picture of people fighting for greater economic rights and freedom to organise, with many governments and businesses responding with repression, sackings, violence, death threats and murder.
Covering the year 2010, the Annual Survey reveals:
The global trends highlighted in the survey include governments not enforcing labour laws, lack of support for the funding of inspection or protection, the lack of rights and abuse of migrant labour across the world, but particularly in the Gulf States, and the exploitation of the mainly female workforces in the world’s export processing zones.
Fiji
The Bainimarama military dictatorship which seized power in 2006 has abandoned any pretext of commitment to the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and human, trade union, social and economic rights. The regime has adopted intimidation tactics to instil fear in workers and trade unions. The survey shows numerous incidences including intimidation and monitoring of unions – including the arrest of the General Secretary of the National Farmers Union, Mahendra Chaudhry.
Australian unions have callled for Fiji to hold immediate elections, return to democracy and recommit to a rights-based approach to governance.
The ACTU has written to Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to express alarm that a new decree from Fiji’s illegal and unelected military regime effectively outlaws unions and neuters any effective representation of Fijian workers.
Middle East
Across the Middle East, the 2010 Annual Survey paints a picture of governments trying to repress their people engaged in trying / fighting to better their lives economically through union representation, better wages and collective bargaining.
Egypt
In Egypt, the report shows sackings and reprisals by employers, police violence and numerous arrests as more and more workers joined independent trade unions and took strike action.
Tunisia
In Tunisia, the report spotlights the rising tide of social protest linked to the fight for economic rights, and the government responding by meddling in the affairs of the trade union movement.
Bahrain
In Bahrain, the report underscores the recurrent problem of unemployment and inequality, and this year the ITUC is monitoring the disappearances, arrests and violence directed at the independent trade unionists over the past months.
“Independent trade unions are essential to improving the living standards of ordinary workers across the globe. The ITUC Annual Survey shows that in fighting for basic rights to a decent job and decent life, many unionists put their lives on the line for the good of their communities.
Ms. Burrow also issued a warning to the global governing bodies and to the G20.
“The world’s unemployment queue is growing. Without proper jobs or hope for the future, governments risk increasing political instability. Union rights are fundamental to democracy, to economic growth and to a civilised future,” Ms. Burrow said.
More information
Visit ITUC website to read the survey
