Convention ‘a major step forward for labour rights’ 


Unions have welcomed the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) adoption of a new convention on violence and harassment in the world of work. It is the first convention agreed at the ILO since 2011, with agreement reached on the last day of the organisation’s centenary conference in Geneva last month. 


The NUJ journalists’ union called it “a major step forward for labour rights”. It establishes, for the first time, a “global and unique right of everyone to work free from violence and harassment”.


The convention comes into force 12 months after two member states have ratified it and the TUC called on the UK government to take the lead and ratify it as soon as possible. It recognises that violence and harassment in the world of work can constitute a human rights violation and are a threat to equal opportunities, unacceptable and incompatible with decent work. It would require countries across the globe to put in place laws that prohibit and sanction work-related violence and harassment and would oblige employers, after consulting with workers and unions, to have a prevention policy in place.


www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/108/media-centre/news/WCMS_711321/lang--en/index.htm