About the day

As every person should be able to have a job that enables them to live a good life in which their basic needs are met, decent work is the focus for World day for Decent Work (WDDW). This is an opportunity for trade unions and organisations to join a broad global mobilisation involving a large number of people and a wide range of activities.

This year’s theme is the economic crisis and the fact that most of the world is experiencing big job losses at the same time. The economic crisis threatens the jobs, homes and futures of billions of human beings – those who never drew profit from the years of excess, whose work has been underpaid and degraded and who bear no responsibility for what is now happening.

You don’t necessarily have to invent a new campaign for 7 October. Maybe you can highlight some of the work that is already being done in your organisation? All countries have issues with decent work – maybe it’s more obvious if you are working in a developing country than in an industrialised one. Decent work issues can include migration; discrimination; equality; forced labour; human trafficking; child labour; other core labour standards such as the right to bargain collectively and the freedom to organise; freedom of expression; laws and agreements issues; informal economy; climate issues (green jobs); health and safety; social protection; poverty and food crisis; social dialogue…well, the list can be even longer. Many of these issues are dealt with on a daily basis in many trade unions and organisations. Once you have decided on your actions, please tell us by reporting them on this web site.

Join us in the fight for a new type of globalisation on the second World Day for Decent Work on 7 October 2009. Your organisation’s support is important. Together we can make a change! Plan your actions now and report them here.