ACT NOW
FIM is joining the ITF, ITUC, PSI and other GUFs in calling for unions to act in defence of the right to strike, which is under attack by employer groups at the ILO.
Here’s what you can do on 18 February and up to the ILO Governing Body meeting which starts 12 March:
Organise social media actions — using the hashtag #right2strike. Watch out for visuals which we will send out for sharing, posting and retweeting
Hold workplace meetings
Hold public meetings with leaders from government, judiciary and human rights groups
Lobby governments and parliamentary representatives
Organise public demonstrations
Protest outside government offices where governments oppose the right to strike (or referral to the rule of law through the ICJ)
Protest against employers’ organisations
Request especially urgent discussions with governments and employers if they sit on the ILO Governing Body
Send a letter to your Government
E‑mail us and we will publicise what you do.
BACKGROUND
The right to strike is a basic human right, which was won through struggle – yet all over the world, this right is under attack. ITF unions exercising the right to industrial action are routinely met with repressive measures ranging from sackings, detentions and arrests to violence and even murder. The ITUC’s Global Rights Index shows that the right to strike is frequently restricted in law and violated in practice around the world.
Right now, the International Labour Organisation’s mechanisms are under fire. The ILO is made up of three groups – employers, workers and governments. The employers’ group has challenged the very existence of the right to strike established under ILO Convention 87. The workers’ group is responding by asking for an opinion from the International Court of Justice on the right to strike in international law.
This key decision on this referral was due to be made at ILO Governing Body in November. Instead, the Governing Body asked for further tripartite discussions on the right to strike, to be reported to its meeting in March for decision then.
Chair of the workers’ group Luc Cortebeeck said; “Either we recognise the right to strike established under Convention 87, or we refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice”.
DOWNLOADS
Download the campaign logo
Read the ITF briefing (Jan 2015)
Download the fact sheet
Read the ITUC newsletter
MORE INFORMATION
http://www.ilo.org/gb/lang – en/index.htm
http://www.ituc-csi.org/new-legal-report-right-to-strike
There can be no compromise on the right to strike