THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace  TITLE: The Value of Essential Work: World Employment and Social Outlook 2023 PUBLISHED BY: International Labour Organisation (ILO)  WHO IS THIS FOR:  At the end of March 2020, 80% of the world’s population lived in countries with required workplace closures. At the same time, in the hushed streets of cities and towns throughout the world, key workers left the safety of their homes to go to work. Across the world, these workers produced, distributed and sold food, cleaned streets and buses to minimize the spread of the pandemic, ensured public safety, transported essential goods and workers to their jobs, and cared for and healed the sick. These are the key workers. The Covid-19 pandemic has made evident the extent to which societies need key workers – in both good times and bad – but also how undervalued most key jobs are, raising concerns about the sustainability of these essential activities, especially given the possibility of future shocks. This report calls for a revaluation of the work of key workers to reflect their social contribution and greater investment in key sectors. Download here The Value of Essential Work: World Employment and Social Outlook 2023

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: Winning a pay rise: Union strategies for securing minimum living wages PUBLISHED BY: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) WHO IS THIS FOR: This new report from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) illustrates the key strategies that unions around the world have used to win the introduction of or increases to national minimum wages. Drawing on the previous evidence from the ITUC campaign The World Needs A Pay Rise, the report includes the practices of unions across eight countries: Argentina, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Senegal, and South Africa. Trade unionists, policy-makers, worker educators and researchers will find this useful. Download here Winning a pay rise: Union strategies for securing minimum living wages

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: Global Rights Index 2022 PUBLISHED BY: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) WHO IS THIS FOR: This ninth edition of the Index ranks 148 countries by their respect for workers’ rights. As a comprehensive review of workers’ rights in law, it is the only database of its kind. Cases of violations and national ratings can be viewed by country and region. According to the 2022 edition of the flagship Global Rights Index, key measures of abuse of workers’ rights have reached record highs. Workers are on the front line of multiple and extraordinary crises: historic levels of inequality, the climate emergency, a pandemic destroying lives and livelihoods, and conflicts with devastating domestic and global impacts. The Global Rights Index 2022 exposes how this instability is being exploited with so many governments and employers attacking workers’ rights. This is essential reading for labour activists, worker educators, policy researchers and trade union leaders. Download here Global Rights Index 2022

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: Social Dialogue Report 2022 PUBLISHED BY: ILO (International Labour Organisation) WHO IS THIS FOR? The report examines the role of collective bargaining in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on employment and earnings, helping to cushion inequality while reinforcing the resilience of enterprises and labour markets. The tailoring of public health measures and strengthening of occupational safety and health at the workplace, together with the paid sick leave and healthcare benefits provided for in many collective agreements, protected workers and supported the continuity of economic activity. Looking to the future, the report considers the contribution of collective bargaining to a human-centred recovery. It highlights the need for democratic principles and rights that give employers and all workers a voice in the governance of work ‒ freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining ‒ essential for strong and representative workers’ and employers’ organizations, and a recovery that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient. Trade union leaders and shop stewards, policy makers, labour activists and NGOs will find this useful. Download here Social Dialogue Report 2022

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: ENS: IVX National Report on Decent Work 2020-21 (Spanish) PUBLISHED BY: ENS (Escuela Nacional Sindical) WHO IS THIS FOR: Decent work refers to four essential themes, for which this reports presents an overview in Colombia, especially within the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effect on workers:Rights at work, Employment and Income, Strengthening of Social Protection and Social Security, and  Strengthening of Social Dialogue. This report will be useful for worker educators, trade union leaders and civil society organisations, particularly in Colombia.   Download here ENS: IVX National Report on Decent Work 2020-21

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: ITUC Global Rights Index 2021 PUBLISHED BY: ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) WHO IS THIS FOR: The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated jobs, communities and lives. Governments and employers have exploited the pandemic to dismiss workers who exposed vital information about the spread of the virus in workplaces; violated collective bargaining rights; increased surveillance of workers and undermined the right to privacy; and restricted free speech and assembly. The 2021 Global Rights Index documents a shameful roll call of governments and companies who have pursued an anti-union agenda in the face of workers who have stood on the front line providing essential work to keep economies and communities functioning. This report will be useful for trade union leadership, worker educators and community activists. Download here ITUC Global Rights Index 2021

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: World Social Protection Report 2020 – 2022: Social protection at the crossroads – in pursuit of a better future PUBLISHED BY: ILO (International Labour Organisation) WHO IS THIS FOR: This ILO flagship report provides a global overview of recent developments in social protection systems, including social protection floors, and covers the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on new data, it offers a broad range of global, regional and country data on social protection coverage, benefits and public expenditures. Following a life-cycle approach, the report analyses progress with regard to universal social protection coverage, with a particular focus on achieving the globally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report includes access to comprehensive statistical tables containing the latest social protection data. Worker educators, trade union leaders, policy makers and community leaders will find this useful.   Download here World Social Protection Report 2020 – 2022

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: 2019 ITUC Global Rights Index: The World’s Worst Countries for Workers LANGUAGE: English WHO IS THIS FOR? This publication is aimed at worker educators, labour academics, researchers and trade union leaders. It documents violations of internationally recognised labour rights by governments and employers. Amongst the findings are that: The worst regions for working people are the Middle East and North Africa; Trade unionists were murdered in 10 countries; The world’s ten worst countries for workers include Brazil, Turkey and Zimbabwe; and 80% of countries have violated the right to collective bargaining. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of ITUC, says: “Trade unions are on the front lines in a struggle to claim democratic rights and freedoms from the corporate greed that has captured governments such that they act against workers’ rights. We need a New Social Contract between workers, governments and business to rebuild trust as people lose faith in democracies. It’s time to change the rules.” Download here Click here to download and read

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: Financial Reporting: 15 Key Terms to Get You Started PUBLISHED BY: Labour Research Service (LRS), South Africa WHO IS THIS FOR? This guide will be useful for those working in labour-related NGOs, including labour research organisations, as well as trade union leaders, members and negotiators. Expanding practical knowledge of the financial terms corporate companies use enables one to read annual reports and corporate documents. There are some basic financial terms that every union member should know when they start to deal with a company and its management. These terms could be used in meetings or during bargaining, and one’s ability to understand these terms will affect one’s negotiating power. Unions and shop stewards will come across these terms specifically when bargaining for employee wages. Information relating to company revenue, profits and directors’ remuneration can assist negotiators in securing employee wage demands. Download here Financial Reporting: 15 Key Terms to Get You Started

THEME: Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights in the Workplace TITLE: Collective Bargaining Strategy and Tactics PUBLISHED BY: Labour Research Services (LRS), 2018 WHO IS THIS FOR? This presentation is aimed at worker educators and trade union leaders. It offers a basic overview of collective bargaining, including what it is, what levels it can take place on, collective bargaining preparations, how to negotiate demands and what to do when an agreement is reached. Download here Collective Bargaining Strategy and Tactics