April 16, 2026 09:29 pm (IST)
Follow us:
ILO upholds right to strike
Geneva, Feb 26 (IBNS): Following a worldwide trade union campaign to defend it, the right to strike has been re-affirmed at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva.
ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) general secretary Steve Cotton explained: “Unions and employers meeting at the ILO have upheld the general right to strike. Two critical provisions are recognised: the constitutional principle of the right to strike, as well as the jurisprudence on it of the last 60 years.”
He continued “There is no doubt that without the huge mobilisation efforts of the global union federations and trade union organisations worldwide, the basic human right to withdraw your labour could have been removed. It is down to all of our efforts that the attempt was defeated – and it will be down to all of us to ensure that it is protected. Even as this victory has been won, attacks on the right to strike at national level continue.
“We will all remain vigilant. We will not surrender this basic guarantee of freedom. In particular we will be closely watching the March meeting of the ILO Committee of Freedom of Association, which will be studying right to strike cases, including ones submitted by the ITF and its unions.”
ITF president Paddy Crumlin stated “The right to strike to protect economic and industrial access and respect in the workplace is essential. Thanks to the efforts of good women and men and their trade unions the attempts by neo-liberal employers to remove it have been defeated. But there is no guarantee that they won’t try again, including at national level.”
He concluded: “Those employers who tried to crush this basic right have seen the attempt thrown back in their face. Trade unions, with the support of progressive and democratic organisations, drew a line in the sand. That line has not been crossed. Today we can pause for a moment to congratulate ourselves on the worldwide mobilisation that made it so – and then ensure that the next attempt is similarly defeated.”
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
UK doctor, suspended for asking Muslim patient to remove veil, is struck off the medical register
Thu, Apr 16 2026
Saudi Arabia is 'pressing' US to ease Iran blockade amid fears of wider oil disruption
Tue, Apr 14 2026
Iran Embassy in Australia drops stunning video of Tehran’s Iran Mall amid Middle East crisis
Tue, Apr 14 2026
Kim Jong Un watches as North Korea fires cruise, anti-ship missiles from naval destroyer
Tue, Apr 14 2026
Deal blows up: Netanyahu-Vance call triggers US-Iran blame war
Mon, Apr 13 2026