EI set to celebrate World Day for Decent Work
For the fourth year in a row, EI welcomes the International Trade Union Confederation’s World Day for Decent Work (WDDW) which takes place on 7 October. On this day, all trade unions around the world will stand together to call for decent work to be put at the heart of government action to revitalise economic growth and build a new global economy that puts people first.
Last year’s WDDW saw 430 actions in 98 countries, carried out by millions of people, and the expectations for this year are just as high. Although activities in different countries will cover a wide variety of issues, the primary focus this year will be on tackling precarious work and promoting global regulation of the financial sector.
With unemployment levels at the highest ever figure reported – as many as 205 million people are believed to be out of work – support for sustainable solutions, including social protection, are more important than ever before.
On current predictions, a further 45 million young people will join the ranks of the unemployed in the coming decade. Failure by governments to transform economic policy so that decent, sustainable jobs are generated would have catastrophic social and economic consequences.
EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen, said: “We condemn precarious work characterised by atypical employment contracts, limited or no social benefits, and limitations on statutory entitlements. High levels of job insecurity, low job tenure, low wages and high risks of occupational injury and disease blight the lives of hard working people. Young people and women are disproportionately represented amongst those who only have access to such uncertain and unpredictable forms of employment.
“In order for us to achieve Education for All by 2015, educators must be given long-term contracts and receive salaries appropriate to their vital role for the development and future of communities.
“As the global union representing 30 million educators around the world, EI strongly supports the World Day for Decent Work and invite all our affiliates to get involved to mark the day.”
To learn more about WDDW 2011 and to sign up your activity, be it a roundtable discussion, a large demonstration, a protest letter, or a flash mob action, please go to: www.wddw.org
