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October 30: Day of Action for Young Workers' Rights
Brussels. October 30 1998 (ICFTU Info): Today, on the Day of Action for Young Workers' Rights, The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) are working on a joint initiative in 100 countries around the world to ensure that young workers get their rights.
From South Africa in the south to Norway in the north, from the USA, to Argentina, the Ivory Coast and the Philippines, IUSY members and ICFTU affiliates are organising marches, seminars, press conferences and other events to mark the day.
"The ICFTU defends trade union and other basic human rights whenever and wherever they come under attack", said Bill Jordan ICFTU General Secretary. "We are working with the IUSY to defend workers' rights, and the rights of young workers, because young workers are the future of the trade union movement."
In particular, look out for activities in the following countries:
South Korea, Peru, India - young workers stress that corporations and governments must recognise the rights of workers to organise and to bargain collectively;
USA, Mexico, Sweden and Brazil - unions are working to increase their cross-border organising efforts;
Gabon, New Zealand, Chile - actions stressing that employment campaigns and economic development programmes must not sacrifice basic standards and organising rights.
The two organisations are demanding that:
corporations and governments recognise the rights of workers to organise and to bargain collectively;
laws establishing basic labour standards and fundamental organising rights as defined by the ILO are included in all trade agreements;
unions increase their efforts to organise workers across-borders;
government employment campaigns and economic development programmes do not sacrifice basic labour standards or organising rights;
the international trade union movement increases its efforts to organise young people.
"Young people will not accept further violations of workers rights", said Umberto Gentiloni, IUSY President. "By mobilising with the ICFTU, we are showing that young people are an invaluable asset to the trade union movement. With 132 affiliates in 100 countries, the IUSY is one of the world's largest youth organisations".
For further information, please see the new Youth page on this site.
International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions (ICFTU)
Boulevard Emile Jacqmain 155, B - 1210 Brussels, Belgium. For more information
please contact: Luc Demaret on: 00 322 224 0212 - press@icftu.org