World Day for Decent Work
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Unions around the world are mobilizing to mark World Day for Decent Work (WDDW) on October 7. The day is part of the “Decent Work for a Decent Life” campaign which argues that decent work is a fundamental human right, the only sustainable way out of poverty and the best way to build democracy and social cohesion.
What is decent work? “Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.”
The global campaign for decent work centres on equal access to secure employment that provides a living wage for workers and their families. Decent Work also involves social protections in case of illness or childbirth and the commitment to social dialogue between governments, workers and employers.
While each country has specific economic and social conditions, decent work concerns:
1. freedom of association and the right to collectively bargain;
2. an end to forced labour;
3. elimination of child labour;
4. no discrimination in the workplace.
Why we need a campaign for Decent Work
- Throughout the world, there are 1.4 billion people who work but still live on less than US$2 per day. They have no job or depend on precarious employment.
- 85 million young people are unemployed and a higher number are underemployed.
- Women earn two thirds of men’s wages and make up the majority of the world’s part time workforce.
- Each year those who fight for decent work are victimised, threatened, harassed or killed in many parts of the world; several thousand are imprisoned or face long jail terms for trade union activities at work.
- More than 2.2 million people die as a result of workplace accidents or diseases. In Australia alone, more than 8000 people die each year from work related incidents or illnesses – around 21 deaths every day. There are 690,000 injuries and illnesses in Australian workplaces each year.
- Some 200 million children aged under 14 go to work, instead of school.
Who supports decent work?
The concept of “Decent Work” originated with the International Labour Organisation in 1999 and since then has gained support at the United Nations, from non-government organisations, and among world business, trade union and political leaders.
The campaign is now led by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which has 311 national affiliates and represents 168 million workers in 155 countries and territories.
In Australia, decent work activities are being coordinated by the ACTU integrated with the Your Rights at Work campaign and will run throughout October.
This year is also the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines workers’ rights to freedom of association and freedom of speech.
This year’s global key themes for World Day for Decent Work on 7 October are:
- Rights at work – workers should have fundamental rights to organise, access to collective bargaining and protection from discrimination, forced labour and child labour, as well as the right to a healthy and safe working environment.
- Solidarity – this involves practical cooperation between unions in different countries. Trade unions and their members are facing attacks by governments or employers in many places and ITUC is urging workers in formal or informal ways and to campaign on development, human rights, gender, racism and migration rights.
- An end to poverty and inequality -unions believe the creation of Decent Work for all is the best weapon for ending poverty. Decent work involves a fairer distribution of wealth generated by globalisation: increasing development aid, cancelling external debt and promoting fair trade.
Read more at www.wddw.org
Contact Details
Mark Phillips
Mob: 0422 009 011
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