All publications for topic

Policy Brief

The African Continental Free Trade Area: An Opportunity to Promote Social and Labour Issues across the Continent?

This Policy Brief discusses the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in terms of its design, legal instruments, and the obligations of the State Parties. It looks at the impact of AfCFTA’s institutional structure on existing intra-African trade and discusses the way labour and social issues could be incorporated into the AfCFTA’s agenda.

African Trade Unions and the Future of Work Responses, Challenges and Opportunities

This book serves the purpose of unveiling the causes and effects of violations of workers’ and trade unions’ rights, and larger implications in the world of work. It brings together perspectives of African trade unionists, researchers and academics who have collaborated with the NYS. Accordingly, the book offers an insight into the issues that matter the most to African trade unions today, particularly those affiliated to ITUC-Africa.

Workers’ representatives in selected Central and Eastern European countries: Filling a gap in labour rights protection or trade union competition?

International Journal of Labour Research

A new social contract for the social media platforms: prioritizing rights and working conditions for content creators and moderators

This paper describes the special challenges faced by content moderators and creators on digital labour platforms, including isolation, high workload, exposure to disturbing content, abuse and harassment and lack of job security. A new social contract should recognize the immense value of workers’ contributions, including those working in other countries for large Western corporations, and ensure fair compensation for their efforts. The paper outlines the potential contributions of governments, trade unions, employers and stakeholders.

International Journal of Labour Research

Why a new social contract is urgent?

This article summarizes key aspects of the new social contract adopted by the ITUC 5th World Congress in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2022. The world needs the new social contract to replace the failing, inequitable and unsustainable economic model of today. At its 5th World Congress (Melbourne, November 2022), the ITUC adopted a policy and action statement that provides for action on three intersecting global challenges: climate change, public health and technology. It further defines six key workers’ demands on which the new social contract is based: jobs, rights, wages, social protection, equality and inclusion.

International Journal of Labour Research

Social protection as a key component of the new social contract: a leading role for trade unions

While social protection is recognized as a basic human right by virtually all governments and international institutions, in reality most of the global population still has no social protection coverage. The ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202) offers a blueprint for making social protection the centrepiece of a new social contract. This analysis takes a fresh look at Recommendation No. 202 in light of both the newly exposed weaknesses of existing social protection and recent government efforts to build social protection floors, and outlines the potential contribution of workers’ organizations to the UN/ILO Global Accelerator for Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and the proposed global social protection fund.

International Journal of Labour Research

A new social contract: achieving social justice in an era of accelerating change in the agricultural sector

Smart farming is predicted to solve global problems of food security by introducing digital technology to save production costs; however, by switching to the full use of technology it is displacing labour, as evidenced by several country studies presented in this paper. A new social contract would remedy the violation of workers’ rights and the lack of support from governments for sustainable smart farming. It should acknowledge the gaps between traditional and modern farming and integrate employment, social protection and sustainable development. The paper outlines the role of governments, trade unions and the ILO in this new social contract.

International Journal of Labour Research

Reflections on the new social contract

This paper describes the pressures imposed on people and the planet by climate change, global conflict and the complex issues of inequality generated by past economic models. On the labour front, technological development and increasing automation have profoundly changed the industrial relations model and generated new opportunities and significant challenges for millions of workers. The paper outlines the response presented by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and international human rights instruments and calls for a new social contract that preserves the fundamental values of modern democracy and an integrated vision of labour that incorporates a rights-based approach and global solidarity.

International Journal of Labour Research

The world of work and the new social contract

The social contract of the 1940s and 1950s followed the principle that citizens contributed to the common good – whether economically, socially or culturally – on the assumption that the state would ensure a minimum standard of living, provision of essential social services and infrastructure and the protection of their basic rights. Now, however, the global socio- economic context is characterized by a persistent and pervasive joblessness, insecure employment and working poverty, growing income inequalities and inadequate social protection coverage. This paper calls for a new social contract which reduces social inequality, promotes living wages and adequate working conditions and occupational safety and health. It calls upon governments to establish universal social protection systems that are resilient, effective, inclusive, adequate and sustainable over the long term.

International Journal of Labour Research

Towards a European socio-ecological contract

The paradigm change in our economic model that is needed to put human activity back within planetary boundaries requires a reparation of entrenched existing inequalities. It is also essential to avoid creating new inequalities on top of the old ones. While the concept of just transitions is promising for delivering on this objective, real-world implementation varies in its scope and scale, and existing policies are not much more than a patchwork. The post-war welfare state fails to address the new challenges. This paper describes the role of the ILO and other multilateral institutions, national governments and trade unions in a socio-ecological contract that works for all, provides affordable and effective social protection and reduces inequality, poverty and social exclusion.

Executive Summary

A new social contract: achieving social justice in an era of accelerating change (Executive Summary)

International Journal of Labour Research

A new social contract: achieving social justice in an era of accelerating change

This 2023 edition of the International Journal of Labour Research (IJLR), aims to stimulate reflection on what a new social contract might entail and more specifically the role of workers’ organizations in engaging in the design and establishment of a new social contract within the multilateral system and at national level. Thus, the focus of this issue is both on what such a new social contract may entail and on what to do in terms of its implementation.

Newsletter #4 - December 2023

Newsletter #3 - October 2023

Newsletter #2 - June 2023

The Resource Centre for Migrant Workers in Tijuana, Mexico

Systematization of the experience of the RCMW, recommendations to improve their services and to replicate the model in Mexico and Central American countries.

Labour migration

Migrant workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining

Freedom of association and collective bargaining (FACB) are fundamental rights of universal scope that should apply to all workers – including migrant workers. The new ILO Report describes the special challenges migrants face in enjoying these rights, clarifies the expectations from international instruments, supports efforts to fine-tune laws and regulations, and provides advice on how to overcome common practical obstacles to the full enjoyment of FACB’s rights by migrant workers.

Labour migration

Executive summary: migrant workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining

This executive summary outlines the key findings of the report on migrant workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Newsletter #1 - April 2023

Trade Union Revitalization

Trade unions navigating and shaping change

The experimentation and reorganization already taking place in the trade union movement today attest not just to the scale of the challenges involved, but also to the potential for significant change. New approaches are being adopted around the world and across several sectors. This study was designed to explore the emerging practices, approaches, capabilities and methodologies that can help trade unions to revitalize themselves by anticipating, navigating and shaping change.