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2 Sep, 2014

Mark World Day for Decent Work – October 7, 2014

Statement by Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, ITUC

Geneva, 2 Sept 2014 (ITUC media release) — The world is on an unsustainable path. Vast numbers of working people face insecurity in their jobs and the highest levels of inequality in living memory. One half of working families have experienced unemployment or reduced working hours in the past two years, while 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty.

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Basic rights to union representation and collective bargaining are under threat in many countries and under direct attack in others. Employers are even trying to undermine the right to strike, by challenging decades of legal recognition for this most fundamental right at the ILO.

Too many governments are failing to protect working people today, and failing to build a sustainable future for the generations to come. Catastrophic weather events caused by climate change are already ruining lives and livelihoods, yet political leaders have still to find the courage to make a global climate agreement. There are no jobs on a dead planet, but when governments do act to reduce carbon pollution and equip the communities and industries for the climate challenges to come, many more jobs will be created.

The dominant global economic model is destroying jobs and the planet. This weakens democracy and undermines justice for all. The world’s trade unions are the most potent force to defend democracy and fight for justice and a sustainable future. On October 7 – the World Day for Decent Work, unions across the planet will be holding rallies, workplace activities, public actions and a multitude of other events, in support of justice for workers and climate justice.

Together we can build workers’ power, organising and mobilising to hold politicians and business to account, and to transform the failing economic system of today to one that delivers prosperity for all on a sustainable planet.

To upload information about your October 7 events, please go to the World Day for Decent Work website, http://www.wddw.org