MEDIA RELEASE PR41593
ITUC: World Day for Decent Work 2010
BRUSSELS, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/
Trade unions across the world are mobilising on 7 October to tackle the
global economic and employment crisis and demand fundamental reform of the
world economy. The organisers of more than 100 activities have already posted
This year's actions will be promoting three central demands for economic
recovery:
- Growth and decent jobs, not austerity, are essential to beating the
crisis and ending poverty;
- Quality public services must not be slashed; and,
- The financial sector must pay for the damage it has caused.
The October 7 events include some 50 activities across Japan; marches,
conferences and youth meetings in several African countries, and meetings and
mobilizations throughout Russia and Ukraine. A series of activities in Latin
America includes initiatives by trade unions in Peru and Chile to get
official government recognition the World Day for Decent Work. These events
follow massive demonstrations in Europe last week, a major march in the US
involving unions and civil and human rights groups on 2 October, and
activities by education unions worldwide on 5 October, World Teachers' Day.
With young workers particularly hard-hit by the turmoil in labour markets
and looming cuts to education and training, trade union youth groups will be
leading many events, including using "flash mobs" and social networking to
put their own stamp on union plans for economic recovery. Similarly, networks
of women trade unionists will be calling attention to the worldwide trend to
precarious, short-term and casual employment which is severely undermining
women's living standards across the world.
"This third annual Decent Work Day is the culmination of 10 days of union
mobilisation covering all the continents. It will increase pressure on
governments to put in place positive solutions to the crisis, instead of
simply slashing government spending to satisfy money markets. Good jobs and
social protection are needed to get people back into work, support families
in their time of greatest need and lay the foundations for sustainable growth
to restore government finances," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
ITUC represents 170 million workers in 157 countries and territories and
SOURCE: ITUC
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