Trade Union Defender Defending Labour Rights in a Declining Organized Labour Environment

Trade Union Defender is a champion of labour rights, fighting for workers' interests in a rapidly changing job market. Despite the decline of organized labour, they remain committed to protecting workers' rights.

The number of union members has been steadily decreasing over the past few decades, from 17.7% in 1983 to 10.3% in 2020. This decline has left workers vulnerable to exploitation.

Trade Union Defender is working tirelessly to reverse this trend by promoting collective bargaining and advocating for workers' rights. They believe that workers should have a strong voice in the workplace.

Their efforts are crucial, as workers without union representation are often paid less and have fewer benefits than their unionized counterparts.

Labour rights activism makes societies fairer by addressing the imbalance of power between corporations and workers and improving working conditions.

The right to labour rights is a fundamental human right, as stated by the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Labour rights defenders, including trade unions and workers' representatives, are considered human rights defenders.

The Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (ILO 87) guarantees workers and employers the right to establish and join organisations of their own choosing without previous authorisation.

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Labour rights activism is facing a significant challenge globally, with a mounting erosion of space for worker organizing and violence against labour rights defenders.

The distinction between labour rights defenders and human rights defenders is artificial, as former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association Maina Kiai pointed out. Labour rights are human rights, and any person or organisation defending them is a human rights defender as articulated in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Workers and their unions are the defenders of rights and freedoms, as stated by Sharan Burrow, the Secretary-General of the ITUC. They play a crucial role in promoting fairness and improving working conditions in societies.

Restrictions on worker organizing are becoming increasingly common, with 9 factories supplying major fashion brands targeting unionised garment workers for dismissal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, also known as ILO 87, is a significant international agreement that protects workers' right to form and join trade unions.

This convention guarantees that workers and employers have the right to establish and join organisations of their own choosing without prior authorisation.

The ILO 87 convention prohibits governments from dissolving or suspending workers' and employers' organisations through administrative authority.

According to the convention, workers' and employers' organisations have the right to draw up their constitutions and rules, elect their representatives, and formulate their programmes in full freedom.

The public authorities are required to refrain from any interference that would restrict this right or impede its lawful exercise.

The ILO 87 convention is part of the broader struggle for human rights and social justice, and its implementation is crucial for promoting fair labour practices and protecting workers' rights.

As Sharan Burrow, the Secretary-General of the ITUC, noted, "Workers and their unions are the defenders of rights and freedoms."

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Labour rights defenders are human rights defenders. The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders recognizes anyone defending labour rights as a human rights defender.

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Labour rights activism is at the heart of the broader struggle for human rights and social justice. It addresses the imbalance of power between corporations and workers, improving working conditions and making societies fairer.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees the right to freedom of association, including the right to form and join trade unions. No restrictions can be placed on this right except those prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society.

The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders states that everyone has the right to meet or assemble peacefully. This right is essential for workers to organize and defend their rights.

Labour rights defenders are not just trade unions, but also any person or organization defending labour rights. As Sharan Burrow, the Secretary-General of the ITUC, said, "Workers and their unions are the defenders of rights and freedoms."

Labour rights activism is at the heart of the broader struggle for human rights and social justice. Labour rights activism makes societies fairer by addressing the imbalance of power between corporations and workers and improving working conditions.

Several examples of human rights movements that have been led and supported by labour rights groups include coalitions to rebuild democracy in Honduras after a coup, the mobilizing of workers in Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain during the Arab uprisings, and the pro-democracy movement in Zimbabwe, led by the country’s labour federation.

Labour rights are human rights, and any person or organisation defending them is a human rights defender as articulated in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Workers and their unions are the defenders of rights and freedoms.

The right to peaceful assembly is recognized in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law.

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The field of practice for a trade union defender is clearly defined by law. Article 258 of the Macron law redefines the role and responsibilities of a trade union defender.

To be registered on the administrative list, trade union defenders must be proposed by representative organizations of employers and employees. This includes national and inter-professional, national and multi-professional, and branch-level organizations.

The union defender has a dedicated time slot of up to ten hours per month to carry out their duties in establishments with at least eleven employees.

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The field of practice for a trade union defender is carefully defined by law. Article 258 of the Macron law redefines this field, giving the trade union defender specific prerogatives.

To be registered, a trade union defender must be proposed by representative organizations of employers and employees at various levels, including national and inter-professional. This proposal is then reviewed by the administrative authority at the regional level.

The trade union defender is registered on a list drawn up by the administrative authority, which is a key part of their role. This registration is a formal recognition of their position within the company.

In establishments with at least eleven employees, the trade union defender has a certain amount of time to carry out their duties. They have up to ten hours per month to fulfill their responsibilities.

Time spent by the trade union defender outside the company during working hours is considered effective working time. This means that it counts towards their paid leave and social insurance benefits, just like any other working hour.

The employer is responsible for reimbursing the state for wages and benefits during the trade union defender's absences. This reimbursement includes social security contributions.

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In Colombia, the armed conflict has been marked by a high level of violence against trade unionists, who are considered human rights defenders.

The violence against trade unionists in Colombia has reached a level that is considered a crime against humanity, according to the Colombian human rights organisation CCAJAR and the Colombian trade union confederation CUT.

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In October 2012, these organisations submitted a communication to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, requesting action on the violence.

The prosecutor must open formal investigations against those in government and military command who are most responsible for the crimes, as they are not being sufficiently prosecuted by Colombia itself.

The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over crimes against humanity, and it's essential that those responsible are held accountable.

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In Colombia, almost 3,000 trade unionists have been killed in the past three decades, with 775 of those deaths occurring since 2002 alone.

The International Trade Union Confederation found that over half of worldwide reported assassinations of trade unionists took place in Colombia, making it one of the most hazardous countries for trade unionists globally.

More than 775 trade unionists have been killed in Colombia since 2002.

The entering into force of the Rome Statute for Colombia in 2002 did not lead to any significant changes in the situation.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been presented with five individual cases by ECCHR and its partners, which demonstrate the widespread and systematic pattern of violence against Colombian trade unionists.