Trade union rights

On the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, PSI is hearing stories of unionists from across the world, fighting for their most basic workers’ rights.

Services Employees International Union (SEIU), a PSI affiliate in the US, is joining the "Poor People's Campaign" pushing for better wages and union rights for the working poor. Originally led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr 50 years ago, this campaign is as important today as it was back then.

PSI has contacted the Kenyan government regarding the trade union rights situation in the country and the creation of an inter-ministerial committee on education reform. We encourage affiliates to send protest letters to the government, asking them to deal with these two matters urgently.

Han Sang-gyun, former President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions was released from prison on May 21. PSI warmly welcome the jailed ex-president back to the movement as an organizer.

Around 16,000 nurses in Zimbabwe resumed work bringing to an end one week of strikes that affected health services in the country.

PSI launches video series featuring 16 stories from nine countries – Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Italy, USA, Chad, Lebanon, Guatemala and Brazil - to praise the work of public servants around the world.

After a 9 day strike, nurses at the Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in Delhi, India have successfully won better pay, conditions and nurse to patient ratios.

PSI joined a solidarity action organized by IndustriAll, and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), who expressed their concern about a new wave of serious violations of fundamental labour rights in Belarus. The unions, representing more than 200 million members, call on the Belarus government to stop persecuting independent trade unions and fulfill their ILO obligations.

The Algerian Government is trampling the Human Rights of its people. We invite all PSI affiliates to join our campaign and to sign the petition to stop government attacks on human rights in Algeria.

If changes are implemented, Bangkok will be the first UN station in the world with three tiers of staffing. This follows a review in 2011 that reduced salaries of local staff in Bangkok by 22%.