“According to a report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) published on June 12, Europe has seen the most significant decline in workers’ rights over the past decade, Le Figaro reported.
The ITUC’s World Rights Index, which started in 2014, shows Europe’s average score worsening from 1.84 in 2014 to 2.73 in 2024, indicating increasing violations. The report highlights that 73% of European countries have violated the right to strike, with workers facing violence in 9% of these countries.
In particular, Finland has faced criticism for repeated violations of workers’ rights, worsened by proposed reforms under Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s right-wing coalition. These reforms include limiting political strikes to one day, compromising wage negotiations, and reducing sickness benefits and unemployment allowances. Similarly, Switzerland has also seen its rating downgraded due to regular violations of workers’ rights.
The situation for workers is even more severe in other regions, such as the Middle East and North Africa, with an average score of 4.74 in 2024. The Americas have also seen a decline, with an average score rising from 3.16 in 2014 to 3.56 in 2024, making it the most dangerous region for workers and their representatives. Despite these troubling trends, Romania has shown some improvement by extending the right to strike and making collective bargaining mandatory for companies with more than ten employees.”
Article credit to www.voiceeurope.com