"ILO Centenary Conference: moving together for a New Social Contract," 17 June 2019

Unions from around the world have taken to the streets of Geneva to demand an ILO fit for the 21st century.

Thousands of trade union representatives...showed their commitment to curbing abuse in the world of work and establishing a New Social Contract.

“We are in the midst of negotiations that could deliver historical progress. An ILO Declaration that sets a floor of rights for all workers, binding rules that effectively tackle violence and harassment at work, these are on the table. I am confident that together with governments and employers we can get these over the line,” said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

 ...“From South Africa to Sweden, from Costa Rica to New Zealand we are pushing in the same direction. Establishing rules for everyone is the only way to avoid a race to the bottom, in which we would all lose out. The ILO has played a crucial role in ensuring shared prosperity through setting global labour standards and holding governments to account for implementing them. We are bringing that ambition forward and finding solutions to the challenges of today and the future,” said Burrow...

The ILO...report...Work For a Brighter Future...called for a reinvigorated social contract based on a Universal Labour Guarantee.

That Universal Labour Guarantee would provide all working people...the core rights of the ILO fundamental principles...as well as the right to a living wage, health and safety at work, and control over working time.

“We need to harness the potential of digitalisation and automation as well as of the transition to environmentally sustainable modes of production, while dealing with the risks and challenges of digitalisation and new business models that companies use to avoid responsibility for their workforce. We need to adopt measures that meaningfully address gender-based violence, which is at the heart of persistent inequalities between men and women. We need to address the ever-increasing levels of wealth and income inequalities by ensuring people’s core freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, and ensure that workers’ rights to safe and healthy work are absolute. All these things are possible and from the streets to the negotiations of binding rules, we are moving together,” concluded Burrow.