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2019 ITUC GLOBAL The World’s Worst RIGHTS INDEX Countries for Workers INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION Demonstrators show their support for ex-President of Brazil Lula da Silva during a protest in Rio de Janeiro in April 2018. #LulaLibre Credit: Gian Martins/Mídia NINJA/AFP Contents Foreword 4 Most Violated Rights in the World 28 Increasing criminalisation of the right to strike 28 Highlights 6 Erosion of collective bargaining 31 Exclusion of workers from labour protection 33 Restrictions on access to justice 36 The 2019 Ratings 8 De-registration of unions 38 Arbitrary arrests, detention and imprisonment 40 World Map 8 The 2019 Country Ratings 10 Global Trends for Workers in 2019 42 Worst Region in the World 12 Democracy in crisis 42 Silencing the age of anger 45 Middle East and North Africa 12 Legislative power 49 Asia-Pacific 14 Africa 16 Americas 18 The ITUC Global Rights Index Europe 20 Explained 51 The World’s Ten Worst Countries Description of the Ratings 52 for Workers 22 Algeria 22 List of Indicators 53 Bangladesh 22 Brazil 23 Colombia 24 Guatemala 24 Kazakhstan 25 The Philippines 25 Saudi Arabia 26 Turkey 27 Zimbabwe 27 Foreword Democracy is in crisis. The systematic Worldwide, new technology has allowed employers dismantling of the foundations of to use various mechanisms to avoid paying minimum entitlements and exclude workers from labour laws. workplace democracy and the violent Recent technological leaps in the ways that work can repression of strikes and protests be allocated and accessed has resulted in increased incidences of workers being denied rights under the put at risk peace and stability. The guise of flexibility and as platform workers. Decent 2019 Global Rights Index saw the work is being affected and rights are being denied by companies avoiding rules and regulations. use of extreme violence against the defenders of workplace rights, No worker should be left behind because their employer chooses to adopt a business model large-scale arrests and detentions. that obscures employment responsibility or their government refuses legislation to enforce workers’ rights. More and more governments are complicit in The breakdown of the social contract between workers, facilitating labour exploitation or allowing the rule of government and business has seen the number of law to be avoided because workers are forced to work countries which exclude workers from the right to in the informal sector of the economy. establish or join a trade union increase from 92 in 2018 to 107 in 2019. All regions in the world had an The sixth edition of the ITUC Global Rights Index ranks increase in exclusions of workers, with the greatest 145 countries on the degree of respect for workers’ increase occurring in Europe, where 50 per cent of rights. countries now exclude groups of workers from the law, up from 20 per cent in 2018. Six-year trend data analysed in the 2019 Global Rights Index exposes the systematic attempts to undermine freedom and democracy. The ongoing attacks on the foundations of workplace democracy have seen the growth in low-wage insecure jobs. While the world is more than three times wealthier than thirty years ago, inequality is now an overwhelming global risk. More people go to bed hungry than have been lifted out of extreme poverty. Eighty-five per cent of countries have violated the right to strike. All strikes and demonstrations were banned in Chad, while court orders were used to stop strike actions in Croatia, Georgia, Kenya and Nigeria. Eighty per cent of countries have violated the right to collective bargaining. Europe, traditionally the Women across Brazil protested against far-right candidate and eventual winner Jair Bolsonaro. mainstay of collective bargaining rights, saw companies in Estonia, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain seek Credit: Cris Faga/NurPhoto/AFP to undermine or circumvent workers’ rights. Page 4 2019 ITUC Global Rights Index Authorities impeded the registration of unions in governments who have failed to deliver for workers 59 per cent of countries with state repression of are on the rise. independent union activity in Argentina, Algeria, Egypt, India, Panama and Paraguay. Fifty-four countries denied or constrained freedom of speech and assembly. Shrinking democratic space was The ten worst countries for workers in 2019 are the witnessed in Hong Kong, Mauritania, the Philippines following: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, and Turkey. Guatemala, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Zimbabwe. Workers had no or restricted access to justice in 72 per cent of countries, with severe cases reported in Brazil and Zimbabwe are in the ten worst countries Cambodia, China, Iran and Zimbabwe. for the first time, with the adoption of regressive laws, violent repression of strikes and protests, and threats The number of countries where workers experienced and intimidation of union leaders. arbitrary arrests and detention increased from 59 in 2018 to 64 in 2019. Mass arrests of workers were seen Eswatini, Iraq, Sierra Leone, Thailand and Vietnam in China, India, Turkey and Vietnam. have all seen their ratings worsen in 2019 to category 5 (no guarantee of rights) with a rise in attacks on Trade unions are on the front lines in a struggle to claim workers’ rights in law and practice. democratic rights and freedoms from the corporate greed that has captured governments such that they The signing of the peace agreement between Ethiopia act against workers’ rights. We need a New Social and Eritrea in July 2018 has led Eritrea’s rating to move Contract between workers, governments and business from the 5+ grouping of countries in conflict, to 5 (no to rebuild trust as people lose faith in democracies. guarantee of rights). Serious human and labour rights It’s time to change the rules. abuses are present in the country including the use of indefinite national service. Sharan Burrow The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains General Secretary, the world’s worst region when it comes to fundamental International Trade Union Confederation rights at work. Egypt dissolved all independent labour unions, and Saudi Arabia continues to keep millions of migrant workers trapped in modern slavery. Trade union members were killed in ten countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe; workers were exposed to violence in 52 countries. Worldwide, 53 trade union members were killed in 2018. In Colombia alone, 34 were murdered. Attempts by countries to silence their people in an age of anger against corporations, politicians and Foreword Page 5 Highlights This is the sixth edition of the ITUC Global Rights Index. It documents violations of internationally recognised labour rights by Worst Countries for 10 Working People governments and employers. Algeria Kazakhstan Worst Region for Bangladesh The Philippines Working People Brazil Saudi Arabia Colombia Turkey Middle East and North Africa Guatemala Zimbabwe Violations of Workers’ Rights Authorities impeded the registration 59% of unions in 59% of countries. Countries where workers were 85% of countries have 64 arrested and detained increased 85% violated the right to strike. from 59 in 2018 to 64 in 2019. 59 54 countries denied or 80% of countries have violated the constrained freedom of speech 80% right to collective bargaining. and assembly in 2019. The number of countries which exclude 107 workers from the right to establish Workers experienced or join a trade union increased violence in 52 countries. 92 from 92 in 2018 to 107 in 2019. Workers had no or restricted access Trade unionists were 72% to justice in 72% of countries. murdered in 10 countries. Page 6 2019 ITUC Global Rights Index Companies Violating Workers’ Rights • Anlima Textile, Bangladesh • Dunnes Stores, Ireland • Ashiana Garments Industries Ltd, Bangladesh • Kenyatta Hospital, Kenya • Ryanair, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands • Kenya Airways, Kenya • Jasic Technology, China • Teachers Service Commission, Kenya • Croatia Airlines, Croatia • Fu Yuen Garment Co Ltd, Myanmar • Bimbo, Guatemala • Norse Production, Norway • Northwest Transportation Company, Ecuador • Prosegur, Paraguay • Bisco Misr, Egypt • AB InBev, Peru • Ceramica, Egypt • State Railway of Thailand, Thailand • Majestic, Egypt • Sumifru, The Philippines • TS Laevad, Estonia • NutriAsia, The Philippines • Tarkwa Mine of Goldfields,Ghana • TSTT, Trinidad and Tobago • Ternium, Guatemala • Goodyear, Turkey • Tamil Nadu Rubber Corporation, India • Renault, Turkey • Haft Tapheh, Iran • Istanbul Airport, Turkey • HEPCO, Iran • Amazon, USA and Europe • National Steel Industrial Group, Iran • Uber, USA, Europe, India, South Korea, Australia • Pouchen footwear factory, Vietnam Six Year Regional Trends 5 OF RIGHTS NO GUARANTEE 4.47 MENA 4 4.05 Asia-Pacific OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS VIOLATIONS SYSTEMATIC SYSTEMATIC 3.79 Africa 3.52 Americas 3 REGULAR REGULAR OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS VIOLATIONS 2.55 Europe 2 REPEATED REPEATED OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS VIOLATIONS 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 139 countries 141 countries 141 countries 139 countries 144 countries 145 countries The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world’s worst countries for workers by rating countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March. Detailed information exposing violations of workers’ rights in each country is published in the ITUC Survey found at survey.ituc-csi.org. Highlights Page 7 The 2019 Ratings
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    Global Rights Index 2018 - Violations of trade union rights increase in Europe The results of the latest ITUC Global Rights Index 2018 are worrying. The global union confederation notes that the democratic space is shrinking across the world. Corporate greed is on the rise as protection of workers is weakened and corporations like Amazon believe they can get away with anything that stands in the way of making profits. The number of countries with arbitrary arrests and detention of workers increased from 44 in 2017 to 59 in 2018, and freedom of speech was constrained in 54 countries. The global federation notes that more countries seek to exclude workers from labour law – “from migrant workers, public sector employees to workers in platform businesses, with 65% of countries excluding whole categories of workers from labour law.” The report notes that In Europe, 58% of countries violated collective bargaining rights, and three quarters of countries violated the right to strike. Italy is one of the countries mentioned in which there is an increase of workers exposed to physical violence and threats. Kazakhstan and Turkey are among the ten worst countries for workers’ rights in 2018. Macedonia and Spain saw a worsening of their rankings with a rise in attacks on workers’ rights in law and practice. The Global Rights Index reports on annual survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights. It ranks 142 countries against 97 internationally recognised indicators to assess where workers’ rights are best protected in law and in practice. The report rates countries from one to five according to these indicators, with an overall score placing countries in rankings of one to five.