News

Coal miners in Ukraine demand elimination of wage arrears

After a series of local protests, both over- and underground, the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) is calling on members from all over the country to join an indefinite protest in Kiev to demand payment of wage arrears to workers of state-owned coal mines and proper financing of the sector. Unless authorities immediately eliminate the wage arrears, the protest will start on 16 December.

NGOs urge the EU to insist on more space for criticism in Central Asia, document key trends ahead of meeting

The annual EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe on 22 November 2021 with the participation of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell and the foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries. At the meeting, the EU and the Central Asian governments will discuss different areas of cooperation, including cooperation on promoting human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance.

WHO/ILO: Almost 2 million people die from work-related causes each year

The first WHO/ILO global estimates on disease and injury in the workplace outline the level of preventable premature deaths due to exposure to work-related health risks.

ITUC/ETUC letter to Ukrainian authorities over the ongoing regressive labour legislation reform

Here you can find a letter on behalf of the ITUC General Secretary, Ms. Sharan Burrow, and ETUC and PERC General Secretary, Mr Luca Visentini to Ukrainian authorities re draft labour laws.

Internet Censorship 2021: A Global Map of Internet Restrictions

Nearly 60 percent of the world’s population (4.66 billion people) uses the internet. It’s our source of instant information, entertainment, news, and social interactions.

But where in the world can citizens enjoy equal and open internet access – if anywhere?

In this exploratory study, our researchers have conducted a country-by-country comparison to see which countries impose the harshest internet restrictions and where citizens can enjoy the most online freedom. This includes restrictions or bans for torrenting, pornography, social media, and VPNs, and restrictions or heavy censorship of political media. This year, we have also added the restriction of messaging/VoIP apps.

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the 8th meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee on COVID-19 – 14 July 2021

Last week marked the fourth consecutive week of increasing cases of COVID-19 globally, with increases recorded in all but one of WHO’s six regions.  And after 10 weeks of declines, deaths are increasing again. The virus continues to evolve, resulting in more transmissible variants.

Cotton campaign page summary on Turkmenistan

Comments Concerning the Ranking of Turkmenistan by the United States Department of State in the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report
February 2020 | by the International Labor Rights Forum on behalf of the Cotton Campaign

New FAO-led food security and nutrition report for Europe and Central Asia elaborates on the costs of a healthy diet

Affordable healthy diets can trigger positive development in nutrition, sustainability.

ILO calls for resilient occupational safety and health systems for future emergencies

Better national occupational safety and health policies, institutional and regulatory frameworks, that are also integrated into crisis response, are needed, says the International Labour Organization.

New Social Contract: Five workers’ demands for recovery and resilience

The ITUC is setting out five key demands from working people to build recovery and resilience, putting people and the environment at the centre of the new social contract. Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, outlined the demands during the World Economic Forum, with an ITUC session on the subject taking place at the World Social Forum on the 26 January and a detailed blog on the issues: “The choices made by world leaders and by business in 2021 will either heed the call of workers and civil society to reform the economic model and help create a just and sustainable future or maintain business as usual and see a model of corporate greed entrench inequality, exclusion and despair perpetuating instability for our communities and our planet.”