ILO sees encouraging trends in fundamental rights at work despite serious violations

Addis Ababa, May 20(ENA)-- In this year’s global report, the International Labor Organization (ILO) saw encouraging trends in fundamental rights at work despite the persistence threats to workers.

The report was launched under "Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining" with particular emphasis on "Organizing for Social Justice".

According to the report, the broad global picture of fundamental rights at work was on balance improving and more encouraging than it was four years ago.

However, violations of freedom of association rights of both employers and workers persist in different forms including murder, violence, detention, and refusal to allow organizations the legal right to exist and function.

The study says yet there were positive trend, linked to spread of democracy, high rates of fundamental ratification of the fundamental international labor standards as well as transparency in global market.

Speaking at the launching of the report here on Thursday, ILO Sub Regional Office Deputy Director George Ruigu said the report reviews the evolution during the last four years, progress achieved and measures to be taken for full implementation of the principle "Organizing for Social Justice".

In the context of globalization, the current global report has identified a number of special challenges which await the social partners who need to strengthen their capacity, Ruigu said.

The deputy director said trade unions need to widen the scope of their membership as to cover large categories of workers excluded from protection which include migrant and domestic workers.

The importance of freedom of association and collective bargaining play an important role in sound economic development as they provide a stable and secure environment to attract investment, Ruigu added.

Christina Holmgren, International Labor Standards Specialist with the office said on her part that the freedom of association means that workers and employers respectively, have the right to freely join, form organizations that promote and defend their interest at work, without interference from each other or from the state.

Holmgren said collective bargaining entails a voluntary process through which employers and workers respectively negotiate through discussion of their relations at the work place and of their condition of work .

During the past 25 years, the public sector has been subject to restructuring ,staff cuts, privatization and outsourcing, the specialist said .

In 2001 ILO report has estimated that about 15 million people have lost their jobs during the pervious two years.