Workers' rights in 'free fall' across the globe: report

Workers’ rights around the world are “in free fall’, with widespread attempts to hamstring collective bargaining and attacks on trade union representatives, the world’s largest trade union organisation said yesterday.

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The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) found a “profound deterioration” in workers’ rights in its annual rights index published yesterday, based on 97 indicators laid out by the United Nations and international treaties.

Workers’ rights, which the report measured in 151 countries, particularly declined in Europe and the Americas — with the worst results for the two regions since the index was first launched back in 2014.

In total, 87% of countries violated the right to strike and 80% violated the right to collective bargaining, the ITUC said.

“The right to collective bargaining was restricted in 80% of countries [121],” the ITUC said.