Monterey, CA
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, specifically affirms that "everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his or her interests." Yet, 50 years after this declaration was adopted, we witness the commonplace denial of workers’ right to organize. Every day, somewhere in the United States and around the world, workers are denied their "right to join trade unions."
This year and next, the AFL-CIO will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 50th anniversary of the corresponding ILO Conventions -- #87 on freedom of association and #98, which establishes the right to organize and bargain collectively. These internationally recognized instruments form the foundation for workers to exercise their basic human, workplace, legal and fundamental rights.
Workers the world over attempt to exercise these rights, whether they live and work in the United States, China, Brazil, Serbia or in Nigeria, and regardless of whether their national governments have recognized or protect their rights. Women and men who stand up for union rights continue to be murdered, threatened, attacked and dismissed. Hundred of thousands of workers are fired, tens of thousands are violently repressed, and hundreds are murdered each year -- simply for trying to organize, form or join a union.
In today’s global economy, the denial of the right to organize in one country affects workers in all countries. Just as the refusal of Avondale Shipyards to recognize and bargain with their workers in New Orleans threatens the basic human rights of shipyard workers in Philadelphia, the suppression of Chinese workers who struggle to organize independent trade unions threatens the basic human rights of workers in the United States and around the world.
Accordingly, the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO calls upon all our affiliates and allied organizations to support and participate in public town hall meetings that the AFL-CIO and the National Coordinating Committee for the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are organizing in each of the 50 states on December 10, 1998, and;
Further, the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO will launch a national and international campaign commencing on the 50th anniversary to urge the U.S. government to ratify these core conventions and to pressure employers, governments and the multilateral institutions (WTO, OECD, IMF, World Bank) to live up to their commitment to respect basic worker rights;
And finally, 50 years after the adoption of the Declaration and ILO Conventions, we can commemorate how far we have come, however, we must also recognize the shameful legacy of the thousands of workers who have given their lives and livelihood -- a grim reminder that there is much work still to be done. The best tribute we can pay to them is to fight on and campaign for workers’ right to organize in the United States and worldwide.