Freedom to Organize at Work Worldwide Recognized on Labor Day

Across the country as people celebrate Labor
Day, workers around the world continue to face obstacles as they try to create
a better life for themselves and their families. The global economic crisis has
deeply affected workers who face massive job losses, plunging millions of
families into poverty and leading to questions about the sustainability of our
economic policies. At the same time, many workers are experiencing
violations of their right to organize labor unions to protect their interests.

Bama
Athreya,
Executive Director of the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF),
said, "The global economic crisis has led to an increase in
discrimination, child labor and precarious forms of work. Many companies have
used the crisis as an excuse to further erode workers' rights and,
without a voice in the workplace, many workers are left with few social
protections to make ends meet. Now more than ever, we must ensure that
workers' right to organize is protected globally."

Workers around the world face systematic
barriers to organizing, including egregious acts of violence and intimidation.
In light of the disturbing state of organizing rights, ILRF has created a new
toolkit to help people understand the importance of protecting the freedom
of association for workers. The toolkit is also part of the
launch of ILRF's new campaign to protect the right of workers to organize
called "Freedom at Work." The toolkit provides background
information on how union rights related to other human rights and social
justice issues and includes a list of ten strategies employers use to bust
unions. The toolkit also has a series of case studies of violations of
the right to organize including stories of violence against unionists in
Colombia, organizing rights violations of Dole pineapple workers in the
Philippines, abuses against women producing apparel for Russell (Fruit of the
Loom) in Honduras, the use of temporary workers at a Lipton tea facility in
Pakistan and more.

ILRF has been working for nearly 25 years to
defend labor rights and create a just and humane world for workers. Over
the years, ILRF has seen that worker
empowerment is the answer to ending child labor and discrimination and to
improving working conditions, wages and social protections for all workers. 
The toolkit also builds on an annual report ILRF releases on International
Human Rights Day, December 10^th, highlighting the worst global
corporations for the freedom of association. The new Freedom at Work toolkit will help labor
right supporters to educate their friends, family, co-workers and community
members about worker organizing.

The Freedom at Work Toolkit is available online here: https://www.laborrights.org/freedom-at-work/resources/12095