World Day for Decent Work

INTUC appeals all its affiliated Unions/Branches/Federations to go for action on World Day for Decent Work.

Workers all over the world are observing 7th October as World Day for Decent Work. This is an opportunity for trade unions and organizations to join a broad global mobilisation involving a large number of people and a wide range of activities. Most of the countries have issues with decent work which includes migration, discrimination, equality, forced labour, human trafficking, child labour and other core labour standards such as right to collective bargaining, freedom to organise issues related to informal sector, poverty alleviation, social dialogue and all such issues related to working class. It may be different from one industry to another or one country to another. But all are dealing with such issues on a day to day basis in unions and organisations.

Every person should be able to have a job that enables them to live a good life in which their basic needs are met. With this objective, the unions of the globe are observing 7th October as World Day for Decent Work.

The global economy is facing a very serious recession. How protracted and deep this proves to be depends on how timely and well-focused government action is. This systemic crisis comes on top of the unprecedented rise in food and commodity prices earlier in the year and the food crisis is developing. It also occurs against the background of accelerating climate change which, without rapid action, will affect the poorest across the country most severely and especially vulnerable groups including women.

The World Day for Decent Work will see trade unions in every corner of the globe organizing all kinds of activities to focus public attention on the rights of workers for a decent life.

More recent figures indicate that employment growth has started to pick-up, but almost wholly in the vast informal economy consisting of the informal sector and informal employment in the formal sector. The increase in the share of self-employment is viewed as a matter of concern since decent work deficits are quite serious and these are mostly home based workers, street vendors, small shopkeepers, small workshops and so on. The conditions of the casually employed, both in agriculture and non-agriculture, is no better with irregular work, poor working conditions and low wages. And this vast majority of the workforce has little or no access to social security. Article 43 of the constitution states that State shall endeavour to secure to all workers a living wage and such conditions of work that ensure a decent standard of life.

The INTUC is very much concerned about workers welfare and raising its voice in every forum. Social Security, Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Elimination of Child Labour, Better Working Conditions, Removal of Ceiling on Bonus, Enhancement of Gratuity Limit, Fixation of National Minimum Wage, Equal Wage for Equal Work etc are some of the main issues focused by INTUC. The INTUC also played major role in preparing a National Employment Policy, Skill Development Policy and Employment and Training Policy etc. The INTUC fully participated with MOLE & ILO for preparing a Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) India by ILO and keen to implement the same through State/Federation and local levels.

The ILO has been at the forefront of addressing the social dimension of globalization, not least by developing its Decent Work Agenda-with its four pillars of employment creation, workers’ rights, social dialogue and social protection. The INTUC supports the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, including efforts to promote better coherence in global economic governance.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) represents 168 million workers in 155 countries and territories has requested its 311 national affiliates including INTUC to observe the World Day for Decent Work in different activities.

As you are aware All the Central Trade Unions in its series of meetings under the leadership of our President, Dr. G. Sanjeeva Reddy and as decided a National Convention of Workers on 14th September, 2009 at New Delhi and submited a Memorandum to Prime Minister on issues like:
 rising prices of the essential commodities including food grains and vegetables creating severe hardships for the mass of the people
 continuing job losses resulting in loss of livelihood to millions of the workers across the sectors owing to recession and economic slowdown
 non-implementation of and rampant violation of basic labour laws pertaining to minimum wages, working hours, social security, safety in workplace and trade union rights etc throughout the country adding to the sufferings of the entire toiling people
 extreme inadequacy of the provisions and schemes under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act 2008 to provide any substantive relief to the vast multitude of unorganized sector workers including the contract workers owing to the restrictive provisions under the schemes and absence of any National Fund for the Unorganised Sector (NAFUS) as recommended by the National Commission on Enterprises in Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour etc.

It is also decided to have Regional and State Level conventions before commencement of next Parliament Session and to pressurize the government to look into the issues of labour.

The INTUC requests the unions to observe the Day of Decent Work in such a manner which suits their convenience and which may include Press Conference highlighting the importance of the issues and also release Posters etc., submission of memorandum to the respective State Governments, Organise Seminars/Workshops for members of the union to encourage them to understand the issue, Gate Meetings at the plants with display of placards Banner and Posters etc. in the major cites Demonstration/ Dharna could be organised and display of Banners, Placards and Flags etc. Mobilisation of workers of the day of action is also important for a Dharna displaying Banners, Flags, Placards, T-Shirts etc.

Any such activities may be planned and implemented according to the local situation. All the activities organized may kindly be communicated back to us for publication.

HMS has officially asked its affiliates to organise acivities for the WDDW

HMS affiliates will observe the WDDW by bringing out posters, holding posters, holding press conference, taking out rally, submission of memorandum, organising seminar, holding gate meetings.