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Trade union rights news

All work has dignity, and all workers deserve to be treated with respect by their employers. Trade unions play a decisive role in improving working conditions, safety and wages – yet some governments and employers systematically abuse the right of workers to join existing unions or form new ones. PSI works actively to support the right of workers to free collective bargaining, and to help stop abuses when they occur.

Solidarity with Greek workers on strike 12 November

14 November 2015

Greek workers in the public and private sector organised a general strike on 12 November 2015 to protest against the reforms imposed on Greek workers by the European institutions in July this year.

Fairness for UN frontline workers

22 October 2015

The Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations has informed us that following a three-year pay freeze, the UN General Assembly is now being asked to approve real cuts in pay and allowances of up to 10% for staff who put their lives at risk in the most dangerous and challenging locations in the world.

Peruvian federal universities oppose government efforts to ban collective bargaining

19 October 2015

The National Federation of the Universities of Peru (FENTUP) - continues to struggle against the attempts of the national government, to eliminate collective bargaining.

PSI condemns brutal bomb attacks

14 October 2015
Photo: Turkey peace rally. Creative Commons: Jonny Dickens

Public Services International condemns the brutal bomb attacks in Ankara on 10 October, killing 96 people and wounding 250 peaceful demonstrators. PSI affiliates, members of the DISK and KESK confederations, participated in a peace rally calling for an end to the renewed violence between Kurdish rebels and Turkish security forces.

Nobel Peace Prize for Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet

09 October 2015
Demonstrators carry a UGTT banner

A quartet of Tunisian civil society organisations, including the trade union organisation UGTT, a member of PSI, have won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2015.

UK: PCS celebrates National Gallery agreement

03 October 2015
Candy Udwin, PCS staff rep, photo by Lewishamdreamer

On 2 October, after a strike of more than 100 days, PCS members at the National Gallery voted unanimously to return to work after the union and management agreed to end the dispute. The gallery has also reinstated PCS senior representative Candy Udwin.

Finland: Protest massive attack on trade union rights

21 September 2015
No cuts

On 18 September Finland's unions took to the street protesting against the government's austerity measures.

PSI and Canadian Labour Congress file joint ILO complaint

14 September 2015

On Monday 14 September, Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, submitted an ACFO-drafted complaint on behalf of 230,000 Canadian federal public servants at the International Labour Organization (ILO) headquarters in Geneva.

Uruguay abandons TiSA

11 September 2015
Roberto Bissio

Just a week before the deadline for submitting national offers on liberalization of services sectors under the on-going “secret” talks for a “Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), Uruguay President Tabaré Vázquez decided on Monday, 7 September, to abandon the plurilateral negotiations and has directed the government to comply.

PSI statement on the proposed UK trade union bill

10 September 2015
No cuts

PSI is concerned about the Trade Union Bill that the UK government published in July 2015 and which contains wide-ranging measures designed to restrict the ability of unions and their members to organise collectively and take industrial action.

Another victory in Guatemala’s fight against corruption

04 September 2015
Manifestaciones en Guatemala

Congress stripped President Otto Pérez Molina of his immunity from prosecution and Judge Miguel Angel Gálvez immediately ordered his arrest. The judge is also dealing with the the case of "La Línea", a criminal gang alleged to have organised a customs fraud.

General strike in India

01 September 2015

On 2nd September, trade unions in India will be holding a general strike to protest against the anti-worker economic policies of the government.

Support PCS strike at London's National Gallery

21 August 2015

Staff at London's National Gallery, organised by PSI affiliate the Public and commercial services union (PCS), have been on strike since February 2015 following the Gallery's decision to privatise almost all staff, including those who look after the paintings and help the gallery's six million annual visitors.

Campaign to restore trade union rights in Ecuador

20 August 2015
Workers demonstrate in Quito, Ecuador

The United Collective of Workers, Social and Indigenous Organisations of Ecuador held a national strike on 13 August to demand the Ecuadorian government to rectify their restrictive rights policy. Since then, trade unions and indigenous and civil society organizations have continued to demonstrate in Quito, the Amazon region and the south of the country.

Egypt: PSI affiliates push for suspension of civil service law

18 August 2015

Tax workers in Egypt are protesting the government’s imposition of the Civil Service Law number 18 for the year 2015. The new law was issued without any social dialogue, and has also resulted in a pay decrease for many workers.