ILO report highlights union efforts against workplace violence

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GLOBAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Michala Lafferty Head of Property Services | UNI Global Union

By Sky Industry News

Aug 29, 2024

A new ILO report titled “Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: Trade Union Initiatives, Strategies and Negotiations Since the Adoption of the Convention on Violence and Harassment (No. 190) and Its Recommendation (No. 206), 2019” spotlights several initiatives by UNI and its affiliates to combat violence and harassment in workplaces.

The study provides a detailed examination of how unions adapted their strategies during the pandemic, addressing third-party violence, gender-based violence, the impact of digitalization, and the rise of domestic violence, particularly in remote work settings.

It highlights UNI’s global “Stop Violence and Harassment in Commerce” campaign along with several Equal Opportunities campaigns aimed at ratifying and implementing ILO C190. Additionally, the report discusses the impacts of various global agreements and unions’ activities, campaigns, and shared best practices.

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Agreements with Carrefour, Credit Agricole, Orange, among others are cited as examples of how global unions are assisting workers in securing their rights to a workplace free from violence and harassment.

Moreover, the ILO acknowledges UNI Europa’s Joint Statement on Diversity and Inclusion in the finance sector (2022) as a pioneering approach to addressing non-discrimination and inclusion of LGBTI+ workers, highlighting their vulnerability to violence and harassment.

The report also commends efforts by several affiliates such as UA Zensen in Japan, SDA Union in Australia, CCOO in Spain, and PAM in Finland.

To further this work, the ILO recommends that unions continue providing training and raising awareness about all forms of violence and harassment. It also suggests aligning C190 and R206 in workplace negotiations while promoting leadership training for women.

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