Tag

Labour rights

Jul 22
0

Country Information & Practical Advice on Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining: BANGLADESH

By | Bangladesh, Collective Bargaining, Freedom of Association, Social dialogue

Summary 

Freedom of Association (FoA) and Collective Bargaining (CB) are covered by two ILO core Conventions. Brands are Expected to respect these rights. This factsheet contains the most important information about FoA and CB in Bangladesh and provides practical tools for brands to get started. 

In addition, CNV International has developed a general factsheet about this topic. 

For the original source, click here 

Jun 15
0

What is Freedom of Association?

By | Uncategorized

What is Freedom of Association?

Freedom of Association (FoA) is the right of workers to join and form trade unions or organizations of their choosing. FoA is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It includes the right to freedom of assembly, association, and trade union membership.

This means that:

  • Workers can form and join trade unions of their own choosing.
  • Unions have the freedom to function independently.
  • Elections and the duties of union representatives are free of interference.
  • Independently elected worker representatives should not fear intimidation, harassment, or reprisals. They are the measure of how freely workers can express and contribute to their industry or workplace through formal structures such as collective bargaining.
  • Workers and employers can be formally represented in negotiations to arrive at solutions for improving working conditions.
  • FoA also applies to workers in the informal sector (those not working under employment contracts).

It is important to note that FoA also applies to an employer’s right to join organizations of their choosing!

Nov 20
0

Trade Union Rights and COVID-19

By | Social dialogue

Summary

This brief details various governments responses to the COVID-19 crisis and how they have attempted to use it as an excuse to undermine international labour rights. A breakdown of attempts, and the ETUC response to them is given, as well a detailed guideline of international labour rights and how to uphold them in times of crisis.

For the original source, please click here

Nov 20
0

Social Dialogue and Tercerizados in Colombia’s Palm Oil Industry

By | Colombia, Social dialogue

Summary

Workers in Colombia Palm Oil industry are predominantly sub-contracted, and, as such, are seen as employed by the government but are denied access to unions and basic labour rights. Social dialogue with employers and the government in this sector has historically been tumultuous and, at times, violent. To move forward in the industry, new land developments processes, the elimination of illegal sub-contracting, allying direct and indirect workers’ alliances and convincing the employers of the benefits of development are necessary.

For the original source, please click here

Apr 20
0

Nonstandard Employment Relations and Implications for Decent Work Deficits in Nigeria

By | Case-study, Social dialogue

Abstract

Nonstandard employment relations have become very common in most work Organisations in Nigeria. However, the implications of this form of employment relations as regards the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decent work agenda are rarely investigated by the industrial and work sociologists. Conceptualizing nonstandard work within the context of casual, contract and outsourced work, the paper contends that this form of employment relations has been exacerbated by the growing incidence of youth unemployment in Nigeria. Using neoliberalism as a theoretical framework, the paper further contended that most work organisations in Nigeria are using this mode of employment to reduce labour cost so as to increase profit in line with the rule of free market economy at the expense of the improvised workers in violation of extant labour law. The paper argues that with this mode of employment relations, there are serious infractions and deficits of decent work in Nigeria.

For the original source, please click here. An alternative source is available here.

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Apr 20
0

Working conditions in the Bangladeshi garment sector: Social dialogue and compliance

By | Bangladesh, Case-study, Social dialogue

Abstract

The Bangladeshi garment sector is a leading garment manufacturing industry in the world that has been growing constantly during the last decades. Today the garment sector represent the 80% of the national export and counts USD 19 billions revenues; these numbers describe the sector as the most important manufacturing industry in Bangladesh. The numbers are also outstanding when it comes to number of workers employed, about five millions, and number of factories about five thousands of different sizes. The cheap labour cost attracted many international brands that chose the Bangladeshi factories to produce their products for the European and US markets that take up to the 60% and 20% of the total export. Despite the impressive numbers presented, the level of working conditions cannot be described with the same positive attitude. In fact to an increasing level of profit and continuous expansion, the new wealth has not been equally distributed and workers are employed in factories that too often can be categorised as sweatshops. The working conditions do not allow a decent level of living for garment workers that are exploited and forced to meet exhausting production quota for very little level of wage and very low social security. The situation is even more worsened by the very low power that unions have and their limited activities that cannot ensure a proper protection of workers’ rights. In this thesis project we used the literature to understand the current status quo of the working conditions in the garment sector and to identify the major factors that influence, impact and contribute in making the labour standards low. We used the interviewing methodology to gather facts and opinions of the current system and to organize the information and draw the status of the system. Afterwards we analysed the findings using cultural and economic indicators and the design of recommendation that could contribute in improving the working conditions’ level. Through the literature review and the interviews we defined the working conditions as: wage, job security, safety, discrimination, harassment and freedom of association; through the analysis we could acknowledge that workers are clearly exploited and the conditions are far to comply with the International Labour Standards defined by the international organizations. In the specific we analysed how two factors, compliance and social dialogue impact on the working conditions; the result shows the very low law enforcement level and little practice of a dialogue among government, business associations and workers, where the latter has almost no power; we can conclude that they significantly contribute to keep the working conditions low. Finally we provided recommendations to improve the working conditions and distribute the benefits among workers, employers and government, guaranteeing the sectorial long-term expansion and the significant benefits for global buyers.

For the original source, please click here.

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Apr 13
0

Country study Cambodia 2016: Labour Standards in the Garment Supply Chain

By | Cambodia, Case-study, Social dialogue

The present country study on Cambodia, has been carried out for CNV Internationaal in the context of the Partnership for Supply Chain Transformation. is based on desk and original research on the current status of the industry structure, social dialogue, gender-based violence and living wage debates in the apparel industry in Cambodia for use in the first phase of this project.

The Fair Wear Foundation with its alliance partners CNV Internationaal and FNV Mondiaal has been selected by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a five year Strategic partnership for Garment Supply Chain Transformation starting 2016 as part of its “Dialogue and Dissent” policy framework. The primary goal of this initiative is to improve the lobbying and advocacy capacity of Trade Unions and labour related NGOs by enhancing their understanding of international RMG supply chains, access to critical information and know-how. Opportunities will be identified to develop pilot experiences in the supply chain resulting in good practices related to living wages, gender-based violence and freedom of association and collective bargaining, which will facilitate more effective social dialogue and monitoring of human rights compliance at the factory level and reinforce the value of NGOs and trade unions to all supply chain stakeholders.

 

For the original source, please click here.

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Apr 13
0

Social Dialogue at Enterprise Level. Successful Experiences

By | Bangladesh, Case-study, Nepal, Pakistan, Social dialogue, Sri Lanka

One of the main challenges that Asian countries are facing, and will continue to face in the coming years, is the need to adjust their economic and social systems in accordance with the process of globalization. This process cannot be managed equitably and efficiently without social dialogue among the main stakeholders. From the ILO’s perspective, tripartism and social dialogue are integral components of decent work and essential channels for achieving it. As stated by the ILO Director General “cohesive tripartism is the ILO’s bedrock”. The main goal of social dialogue is to promote consensus building and democratic involvement among the main stakeholders in key aspects relating to the work environment. The objective of this publication is to introduce concepts of social dialogue at the workplace, enumerate enabling conditions for social dialogue to work effectively, and demonstrate positive features of social dialogue with empirical studies.

 

FOr the original source, please click here.

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Apr 13
0

Eliminating the worst forms of child labour

By | Guide, Social dialogue

Eliminating the worst forms of child labour involves a sustained combat that goes much beyond legislating: it presupposes a vision of society and of development. To be effective and sustainable, any action aimed at prohibiting and eliminating the worst forms of child labour should be inspired on the one hand by an awareness of the complexity of the economic, social and cultural issues involved; and on the other by practices that have proved effective. This Handbook aims at providing inspiration and guidance to this effect.

For the original source, please click here.

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