With 129 trade unionists killed worldwide and an upward swing in
death threats, imprisonment and physical harassment; trade union
rights continue to be violated across the world.
This year’s survey of trade union rights, published annually by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), produced yet another catalogue of severe abuses of fundamental workers’ rights in 2003.
While the toll of 129 murdered trade unionists is less than the previous year, it still serves as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by trade unionists exercising their fundamental rights.
Painting a country by country account of trade union rights violations across the world, this year’s survey covers 134 countries in total, highlighting assassinations, physical intimidation, arrests, death threats and dismissals for forming or joining trade unions, presenting collective demands or taking strike action.
Trade union rights continue to be undermined on two fronts – by employers and governments. The survey highlights how governments in several countries have installed complicated procedures to hamper trade union activity or strike action. The authorities’ unwillingness even to enforce existing national and international legislation has further compounded the abuses.
Equally, many employers have consistently resisted union organising and intimidated workers who dare take collective action to protect their rights.
The survey noted that growing global competition has been accompanied by deteriorating workers’ rights. Governments, eager to secure short-term benefits that the global market may provide, see trade unions as an obstacle to their economic development. In Uganda, for example, President Musoveni publicly admitted to the mass dismissal of striking textile workers because their action would scare off investors.
Workers in Venezuela were also punished for striking – 19 000 oil workers were fired for participating in a general strike, serving as a warning to other Venezuelan workers.
At continental level, the figures are just as alarming. In Asia, over 300 000 workers were dismissed for their union activities, primarily for going on strike.
Furthermore, as the survey points out, these figures doubtless fall short of reality.
Such is the level of intimidation in many countries that workers are often too frightened to report violations of their rights.
In 2003, Colombia proved yet again to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist, for which it is fast developing a reputation.
A total of 90 people were killed for their trade union activities in the Latin American country, and their families were also caught up in the violence, in some cases murdered in cold blood together with their trade unionist partner. Disturbingly, 95% of reported cases remain unpunished and most murder cases are not properly investigated, if at all. The survey also notes that women have increasingly become targets for attack, as more and more women seek to join unions.
In 2003, Burma continued its total repression of trade union activity and, in November, sentenced three representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB) to death.
Nine of the ten new European Union member states were cited in this year’s survey, largely for disparities between labour legislation, which recognises trade union rights, and the reality.
In the industrialised world, union busting is big business, notably in the US where the use of union-busting consultants by employers is common practice.
The survey underlines that 40% of all public sector workers in the country are still denied basic collective bargaining rights, meaning that alongside to some 25-million private civilian workers, 6,9-million federal, state and local government employees do not have the right under any law to negotiate their wages, hours or employment terms.
In Canada, meanwhile, provincial labour legislation excludes entire sectors, leaving agricultural and horticultural workers exposed to exploitation, and as this year’s report indicates, the rights of some public sector workers have been further restricted.
The ICFTU survey highlights how migrant workers are exposed to some of the worst forms of exploitation.
This year’s survey of trade union rights, published annually by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), produced yet another catalogue of severe abuses of fundamental workers’ rights in 2003.
While the toll of 129 murdered trade unionists is less than the previous year, it still serves as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by trade unionists exercising their fundamental rights.
Painting a country by country account of trade union rights violations across the world, this year’s survey covers 134 countries in total, highlighting assassinations, physical intimidation, arrests, death threats and dismissals for forming or joining trade unions, presenting collective demands or taking strike action.
Trade union rights continue to be undermined on two fronts – by employers and governments. The survey highlights how governments in several countries have installed complicated procedures to hamper trade union activity or strike action. The authorities’ unwillingness even to enforce existing national and international legislation has further compounded the abuses.
Equally, many employers have consistently resisted union organising and intimidated workers who dare take collective action to protect their rights.
The survey noted that growing global competition has been accompanied by deteriorating workers’ rights. Governments, eager to secure short-term benefits that the global market may provide, see trade unions as an obstacle to their economic development. In Uganda, for example, President Musoveni publicly admitted to the mass dismissal of striking textile workers because their action would scare off investors.
Workers in Venezuela were also punished for striking – 19 000 oil workers were fired for participating in a general strike, serving as a warning to other Venezuelan workers.
At continental level, the figures are just as alarming. In Asia, over 300 000 workers were dismissed for their union activities, primarily for going on strike.
Furthermore, as the survey points out, these figures doubtless fall short of reality.
Such is the level of intimidation in many countries that workers are often too frightened to report violations of their rights.
In 2003, Colombia proved yet again to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist, for which it is fast developing a reputation.
A total of 90 people were killed for their trade union activities in the Latin American country, and their families were also caught up in the violence, in some cases murdered in cold blood together with their trade unionist partner. Disturbingly, 95% of reported cases remain unpunished and most murder cases are not properly investigated, if at all. The survey also notes that women have increasingly become targets for attack, as more and more women seek to join unions.
In 2003, Burma continued its total repression of trade union activity and, in November, sentenced three representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB) to death.
Nine of the ten new European Union member states were cited in this year’s survey, largely for disparities between labour legislation, which recognises trade union rights, and the reality.
In the industrialised world, union busting is big business, notably in the US where the use of union-busting consultants by employers is common practice.
The survey underlines that 40% of all public sector workers in the country are still denied basic collective bargaining rights, meaning that alongside to some 25-million private civilian workers, 6,9-million federal, state and local government employees do not have the right under any law to negotiate their wages, hours or employment terms.
In Canada, meanwhile, provincial labour legislation excludes entire sectors, leaving agricultural and horticultural workers exposed to exploitation, and as this year’s report indicates, the rights of some public sector workers have been further restricted.
The ICFTU survey highlights how migrant workers are exposed to some of the worst forms of exploitation.
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