Global trade unions call for the United Nations Binding Treaty to recognize trade unionists as human rights defenders
A global trade union movement statement welcomes the second draft of the proposed United Nations Binding Treaty on transnational corporations and human rights – and recommends several needed improvements to the document.
The statement was issued by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), UNI Global Union, IndustriaALL Global Union, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Education International (EI) and Public Services International (PSI).
Their statement notes: “It is important that trade unionists are explicitly recognised as human rights defenders and that trade unions are acknowledged as being an integral part of human rights due diligence processes, among other things.”
It also notes: “It is our expectation that governments will make substantive contributions to the discussions during the 6th session of the OEIGWG in order to fulfil the mandate of HRC resolution 26/9 and to deliver the Legally Binding Instrument.”
And yet the Canadian government has been largely absent from the negotiating process for the Binding Treaty so far.
The next negotiating round on the Binding Treaty will take place October 26-30.
To send an email to the Prime Minister and Canada’s representatives at the United Nations calling on them to productively engage in this process and to support the Binding Treaty, please see our Urgent Action.
To read the global union statement, please click here.
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