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Brussels. December 9 1998 (ICFTU Info): On the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the world’s largest trade union organisation, ICFTU, says "governments, employers and many intergovernmental organisations have done little to protect workers’ human rights". The ICFTU, which represents over 120 million union members in 141 countries and territories, marked the 50^th Anniversary by highlighting its list of workers murdered, detained, tortured, beaten up or deprived of their freedom. The list, which is updated every year, stands as a sad reminder of the danger trade unionists face in fighting for rights enshrined in international law. The ICFTU says names on its list belong "by right amongst those of human rights’ defenders whose fate is regularly denounced by non-governmental organisations around the world".

Samples from the recent list include:

Saul Cañar Pauta, a senior trade unionist and human rights’ advocate in Ecuador, whose body was found on 5^th December 1998 in Latacunga, three hours away from the capital Quito, where he had been abducted on 26 November. Two weeks earlier, in Colombia, where over 160 unionists had been murdered in 1997, Oscar Artunduaga Nunez, from the Public Sector union in Cali, was brutally murdered, on November 14, 1998. The preceding month, trade unions and human rights organisations around the world had blasted the newly-elected administration of President Pastrana for "failing to ensure even minimal protection standards to trade union leaders", after the assassination of Jorge Ortega Garcia, Vice-President of CUT, Colombian largest umbrella trade union body, whon had been shot three times in the head in October 1998

Liu Jingsheng, founder of China’s Free Labour Unions (FLUC), arrested in 1992 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for 'counter-revolutionary activities".

Dita Indah Sari - leader of an independent trade union in Indonesia - detained since 1996, and sentenced to five years' imprisonment for subversion. Still in prison, despite the President Habibie’s government repeated commitments since last June to "order her release as a matter of urgency".

Dr. Taye Woldesemaite - President of the Ethiopian Teachers Association, who, after over one year of pre-trail detention, permanently has to wear handcuffs in prison for "insulting the court".

The list shows that no-one is spared from the wrath of governments or companies if they fight for trade union rights. In 1997, 299 trade unionists were murdered and there were 4210 cases of harassment, intimidation and death threats in the course of trade union activities. Governments are increasing their attacks on workers - in 1997 2330 people were arrested or questioned for carrying out activities recognised in international law and codified by the International Labour Organisation.

Trade unions round the world are marking the day with marches, debates, demonstrations and representations to public authorities such as national parliaments or governments. Colombia, South Korea, the Sudan and several other countries are being targeted on that day by trade unions around the world. In Geneva, international sector unions (known as International Trade Secretariats - ITS) are demonstrating in front of Korea’s diplomatic mission. In Scandinavia, but also in the UK, Germany, Spain, Serbia, and many countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas, trade unions are holding special commemorations, often in collaboration with human rights’ organisations. In the USA, the AFL-CIO is meeting with President Clinton to emphasise the importance of human and trade union rights in the XXIst century.

1998 also marks the 50th Anniversary of ILO Convention 87 which guaranteed workers the right to Freedom of Association, i.e. the right of workers’ to "establish and join trade unions in order to defend their interests". Yet over half the world's population still live under regimes which have not ratified ILO Convention 87, and this year's ICFTU list of the 116 countries violating trade union rights is the highest ever. During 1998 the ICFTU has been calling on those 50 governments which have still not ratified - including China, India, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, El Salvador and the United States - to do so now.

Each year, the ICFTU puts pressure on countries to ratify other core ILO Conventions, covering forced labour, child labour, discrimination and trade union rights, urging them to "submit voluntarily" to the scrutiny of international legal bodies. ILO figures published on the eve of the 50^th Anniversary show that the Convention on Forced Labour (ILO convention n° 29) enjoys the highest rate of ratification (145 out of 174 countries), while the Minimum Age of Employment Convention, n° 138 (also known as the Child Labour Convention) has obtained the least number of ratifications: 59. "Much remains to be done", says the ICFTU, while at the same time acknowledging that the remaining ILO "human rights" conventions enjoy a relatively satisfactory rate of ratification (n°105, "Abolition of Forced labour" (128 ratifications), n° 87, Freedom of Association (122), n° 98, Collective Bargaining (138 ratifications), n° 100 (Convention on gender equality at work (137 ratifications), n° 111 on "Discrimination in employment"’ for political, ethnic, race, religious, national and political grounds (130 ratifications)

Launch of new Campaign on Labour Standards

The ratification of these core standards becomes increasingly important with the increase of world trade, says the ICFTU. Accusing repressive regimes around the world of "exploiting unfair competitive advantages by trampling on their workers’ basic human rights", the ICFTU says basic standards should be observed in world trading agreements, within the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and "all other multilateral institutions where trade is being regulated to the exclusive benefit of those deriving direct financial profit from it"

December 10 1998 marks the launch of a year-long ICFTU campaign to get workers' rights on the negotiating table in the next round of trade talks within the WTO, opening at its Ministerial meeting in the USA in December 1999.

During the next year, the ICFTU will be keeping up the pressure on WTO Member States to live up to the commitment they made two years ago to respect basic workers’ rights in their trade agreements. We will be using every opportunity: in UN meetings, meetings with international financial institutions, like the IMF or World Bank, and in meetings of Heads of State, to make sure our case for workers rights is heard", said the ICFTU on the eve of the 50^th Anniversary of the UDHR..

The WTO's Ministerial Meeting gives the WTO the opportunity to redirect its work programme to meet people's needs for an equitable and democratic world trading system. It could offer world leaders the possibility of creating a foundation of genuine hope for improved living and working conditions for workers around the world.

"Today, globalisation has shown its ugly face as governments and employers are only too keen to undermine workers' fundamental rights to gain competitive advantage.", says the ICFTU. "Averting this rush to the bottom, saving globalisation for working people, requires urgent action. The fight for trade unions’ right to freedom of association is at the heart of our struggle. It must be at the heart of our action".