Solidarity Center

  Union activism was integral in getting $1 million in back wages and benefits restored to garment workers in Haiti after they were left jobless when their factory suddenly closed in December. More than 1,000 workers were impacted by the sudden closure, during vacation, of the U.S.-owned Vald'or factory. They did not receive severance pay, […]

  On the eve of the Summit for Democracy, high-level U.S. government officials and domestic and international labor activists highlighted the fundamental role of trade unions to reinforce, expand and protect democracy around the world at an official summit side event. The event Tuesday, March 28, “No Democracy Without Unions: Labor Movements as Defenders of […]

Workers from around the world, including those exiled from Belarus, Eswatini and Myanmar for forming unions, striking and trying to speak freely, describe why democracy is important—and why unions are key to democracy.    Find Out More Pro-Democracy Eswatini Transport Union Leader Trapped in Exile Myanmar Union Leaders Stand Up for Democracy Myanmar Union Activists […]

As a result of strong union activism, in partnership with indigenous communities, the Brazilian government has recently halted a massive development project in the Brazilian wetlands that threatened workers and indigenous communities that are dependent on the river. Given this significant victory, we’re revisiting a podcast from 2022 when we first talked to activist and […]

  A survey of more than 600 workers with disabilities in Nigeria's formal and informal sectors, conducted by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Women Commission and the Solidarity Center in collaboration with Nigerian unions and disability rights organizations, finds that most workers with disabilities cannot access decent work as defined by the UN […]

  Brazilian communities along a river near the Amazon are celebrating the government's decision to halt a blasting and dredging project that could destroy their livelihoods and severely damage the environment. Earlier this month, the Public Prosecutor's Office recommended that the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) suspend its preliminary license […]

In Eswatini, where union workers are routinely harassed, attacked and even killed for going on strike or holding rallies, union leader Sticks Nkambule was recently targeted by the government for leading a strike to improve working conditions. Forced to flee the country, Nkambule describes the interconnected struggle for worker rights, human rights and democracy. “We […]

  App-based drivers worldwide work long hours for often minimum wages while facing safety risks every day—and these issues are compounded for women platform workers, according to speakers at a Commission on the Status of Women (#CSW67) side event, Women Workers Organizing: Transforming the Gig Economy through Collective Action. “Not just in Colombia, but worldwide, […]

  The Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) rescued 39 workers, including children, in February from modern slavery in the state of Santa Catarina. Over half of them were Venezuelan migrants who had moved to the state via the government's Operation Welcome program. A construction company enticed the workers through social media posts in […]

Mësuesit në Kosovë luftojnë për të mbështetur familjet e tyre me pagat e tyre dhe kanë burime të kufizuara në klasë – por thonë se qeveria ua ka kthyer shpinën kërkesave të tyre për bashkëpunim për të përmirësuar arsimin. “Ne po mundohemi të krijojmë një rrjet bashkëpunimi të ndërsjellë -thotë Rrahman Jasharaj, kryetar i Sindikatës […]

Teachers in Kosovo struggle to support their families on their wages and have limited classroom resources–but say the government has turned its back on their requests  to partner together to improve education. “We're trying to establish a mutual cooperation network,” says Rrahman Jasharaj, chair of the teacher's union, SBASHK. “My colleagues in all Kosovo schools […]

  Discrimination, marginalization and powerful political forces like authoritarianism do not stop at a country's border—and that is why it is so important for black women worldwide connect through their unions and allied organizations, panelists said Thursday at a Solidarity Center-sponsored event. “We need to strengthen this kind of international unity as a way to […]

  One year ago, military forces of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, launching an unprovoked and unnecessary war. This war has cost thousands of lives and damaged Ukraine's social and economic infrastructure, which will take years to rebuild. Russia's attack on Ukraine is the direct cause of major food shortages and agricultural supply chain disruptions […]

  The expulsion of European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) General Secretary Esther Lynch is the latest sign of an anti-union, anti-democratic crackdown in Tunisia. Lynch was forced out of the country after speaking at a rally to show solidarity with the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), whose members the government has subjected to a campaign […]

  “Recognize our union; negotiate with us!” Pampanga Delivery drivers cried last January 25 during the launch of the Pampanga chapter of the National Union of Delivery Riders (RIDERS). Intending to cover all platform-based delivery drivers from apps like Grab, FoodPanda and Maxim, RIDERS fights for health insurance and income security, among other basic protections. […]

    Myrtle Witbooi, a fierce advocate of domestic worker rights who recently passed away, is remembered in this Solidarity Center Podcast episode by Solidarity Center Domestic Worker Global Lead Alexis De Simone. We also hear from Myrtle herself, as she accepted the AFL-CIO’s Human Rights award on behalf of the International Domestic Worker Federation, which […]

  Global labor unions and the international human rights community are denouncing the arrest in Tunisia of a top leader in the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT). Anis Kaabi, general secretary of the highway workers' union, was arrested January 31 after leading a strike by toll booth workers. A coalition of 66 human rights groups […]

  Drivers in Nigeria won the country's first union covering platform-based workers, a victory that shows it is possible for “unions to organize workers in the gig economy,” says Ayoade Ibrahim, secretary general of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWN). The Ministry of Labor's recognition of AUATWN empowers it to have […]

  Tunisian workers at the call center giant Teleperformance Foundation won big pay and benefit gains in a new contract negotiated by the Informational Technology and Services union. The union is part of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), which took part in negotiations. Effective in March, the agreement includes wage increases between 9.5 percent […]

  A new video shows the strategies unions and civil society allies in Kyrgyzstan, with Solidarity Center support, are using to advance and protect the rights of people with disabilities. Strategies include coalition-building and joint advocacy projects with national and local disability rights organizations, pro-bono legal support, data collection, legislative reform and trainings-of-trainers with disabilities.  […]

  Fearing for his life and liberty, pro-democracy activist and Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU) General Secretary Sticks Nkambule remains trapped in exile while his union campaigns to bring him home safely. The murder last month of human and worker rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist Thulani Maseko—whom Nkambule describes as “friend, colleague, […]

  Only a worker rights-based approach can ensure that Europe's growing numbers of teleworkers can fully exercise their fundamental labor rights—including to decent work, which includes safe working conditions—said International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW) members Mihail Cebotari, Inna Kudinska, George Sandul and ILAW Europe and Central Asia Regional Coordinator Tamar Gabisonia during the launch […]

  The global labor movement lost a bright light and a pioneering leader on January 16 when Myrtle Witbooi, general secretary of the South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), and president of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), passed away after a long and valiant battle with cancer.  Myrtle began her career […]

  Workers on digital platform companies who are pursuing their rights at work through courts and legislation are making significant gains, especially in Europe and Latin America, according to a new report by the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW Network). A key finding of Taken for a Ride 2: Accelerating Towards Justice shows that major […]

  Workers in the informal waste and recovery sector (IWRS)—such as collectors, traders and waste pickers—help recycle almost 60 percent of the world's plastic waste and, in some countries, provide the only form of municipal solid waste collection. This service financially supports millions of workers who are already facing social marginalization, poverty, appalling working conditions […]

  Flagging a high number of work-related deaths and life-altering injuries in the country during the first ten months of this year, Solidarity Center partners Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) and Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) are educating their members and leadership on how to better protect themselves at work […]

  In a powerful demonstration of support for strengthening worker rights to ensure thriving democracies and prosperous economies, representatives from governments, unions and philanthropic organizations met in Washington, D.C., yesterday to renew their commitment to the global initiative, M-POWER (Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment, and Rights). “Labor rights are fundamental to democracy,” said U.S. […]

  Thousands of mostly women garment workers in Lesotho who produce jeans and knitwear for the global market are standing up to gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) at their factories, homes and communities after participating in education and awareness training, part of a pathbreaking, worker-centered program negotiated in part by the Solidarity Center. And, as a […]

  In the wake of a new wave of prison sentences against union leaders and other activists arrested earlier this year, new Belarus worker rights organization Salidarnast is tracking and disseminating updates on union political prisoners' legal cases, and providing other worker rights news.      Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) President Aliaksandr Yarashuk, […]

  As the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign gets underway, women trade unionists worldwide are building on their momentum to end sexual harassment and gender violence at the workplace. In Georgia, for instance, the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC) “pays huge attention to awareness-raising activities on gender-based violence and harassment in the […]

  More than a hundred Grab food delivery riders launched the Iloilo Grab Riders Union (IGRU) in Iloilo City, Philippines, on November 24, then staged a unity ride around the city, located on Panay Island. Some 200 drivers joined in the ride, with more riders taking part from the streets, organizers said. The newly formed […]

During this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign and in honor of #GivingTuesday, you can support our work in ending GBVH and get a free copy of the book, “Stopping Gender-Based Violence and Harassment at Work,” by donating $100 to the Solidarity Center. Show your solidarity and make a donation now!   […]

  When women agricultural workers in Morocco joined to form their first union and negotiate a contract that established gender equality and prohibited sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence on the job, their collective action followed years of Solidarity Center training and support. This GivingTuesday offers a chance to support violence-free workplaces—and all […]

Union women who work at factories, on farms, in restaurants, taxis and offices successfully campaigned for an international treaty to end gender-based violence at work. Authors of a new book, “Stopping Gender-Based Violence and Harassment at Work: The Campaign for an ILO Convention,” share these womens’ stories and describe the powerful movement they created with […]

  The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was sold with the promise to “promote and attain sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development, gender equality and structural transformation.” However, many governments' failure to engage civil society partners, including the labor movement, as they begin to develop national strategies and plans for implementation of the agreement means […]

  As the world witnesses some of the greatest challenges to democratic governments since the 1930s, unions offer a strong and essential counter to the trend, according to Cornell University Professor Angela Cornell. “Many studies show that organized labor has played critical role in developing and defending democracy. The organized working class was the primary […]

  Participants in the afternoon plenary at the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW) Global Conference heard updates on how trade agreements are advancing worker rights and learned strategies for incorporating forced labor bans and protecting workers' freedom to form unions. With a focus on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Eric Gottwald and Pablo Franco […]

  As governments and employers move to address the effects of the climate crisis and toward a sustainable future, workers and their unions must be part of the discussions to ensure the creation of decent jobs and respect for workers' fundamental rights, panelists said today in the opening plenary of the International Lawyers Assisting Workers […]

  Databases of legislation, compilations of laws and successful practices that advance worker rights, trainings, and coordination with allied organizations are some of the suggestions members of the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW) recommended the organization pursue. Meeting in breakout groups on the first day of the ILAW Network Global Conference, worker rights lawyers […]

  Opening the ILAW Network Global Conference 2022, Solidarity Center Rule of Law Director and International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW) Chair Jeffrey Vogt cited the many challenges facing workers—and reviewed the significant achievements ILAW Network members have accomplished to ensure workers achieve their basic rights on the job. “We're seeing that every effort is being […]

. Haiti garment workers should be paid four times their current salaries just to keep pace with the cost of living, a new Solidarity Center study finds. The High Cost of Low Wages in Haiti: A Living Wage Estimate for Garment Workers in Port-au-Prince, determined that based on the current minimum wage ($781 per month), […]

Український юрист з трудового права Георгій Сандул розповідає про те, як український Парламент використовує воєнний стан та катастрофу, що принесла війна з росією, аби проштовхнути репресивне трудове законодавство, що значним чином уріже права профспілок та доступ працівників до гідної праці. Сандул заявляє: “Нові закони підривають саме існування трудових прав в Україні”. Більше по цій темі: […]

  Haitian garment workers scored a huge victory as a coalition of unions negotiated an agreement with the government to provide garment workers in Port-Au-Prince with transportation and food stipends.  “In our struggle for a better working environment and fair wages we have always emphasized that the government should provide social support to workers, especially […]

Ukrainian labor lawyer George Sandul describes how the Ukrainian Parliament is using martial law, and the chaos and disaster of the ongoing war with Russia, to push through harsh legislation aimed at gutting unions and limiting workers' rights to decent jobs. Despite the gains of labor in Ukraine over the last several years, employers are now reducing wages, re-introducing zero hour contracts, and looking to new government exemptions to the more recent, worker-focused labor laws. Says Sandul: The new laws "will undermine the very existence of employees' rights in Ukraine.".

The trafficking of agriculture workers, including children, is widespread globally, and “practices of exceptionalism” limit workers' rights to freedom of association, organizing and collective bargaining, according to a new report on trafficking in persons in agriculture from United Nations Special Rapporteur Siobhán Mullally. “Characterized by high levels of informality, lack of oversight and protection, trafficking […]

  Hundreds of thousands of public employees across Tunisia waged a one-day strike today after talks with the government failed to address the rising cost of living and sinking wages, even as it increases taxes and cuts social programs. “The strike on June 16, 2022, is an opportunity for workers to affirm their unity, hold […]

  A powerful new report shows that collective bargaining changes work and workers' lives for the better. According to the report, workers in Honduras with collective bargaining agreements are less likely to feel compelled to migrate or to face verbal abuse, and they earn more than workers without collective bargaining agreements. The Solidarity Center-supported report, […]

  Agreement, the Largest Wage-Theft Settlement at a Garment Factory, Follows Year-Long Advocacy by International Labor Rights Advocates The Solidarity Center and the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) announced today that more than 1,250 Thai workers who sewed bras for Victoria's Secret, Lane Bryant, and Torrid—and who were fired in 2021 without their legally mandated severance—have […]

In April, at least 18 union leaders were recently arrested in Belarus, where an autocracy has run the country since the fall of the Soviet Union. Among those arrested was Sergey Antusevich, vice president of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, who was a guest on The Solidarity Center Podcast in 2021. On the […]

Comunidades que vivem na Amazônia estão enfrentando o Governo Brasileiro que, sem consultar os mais afetados pela situação, está prestes a implementar um projeto de explosão e dragagem ao longo de um rio que ocasionará a destruição das formas de subsistência de muitas comunidades. Carmen Foro, uma ativista rural e líder sindical brasileira que está à […]

A community that makes its livelihood from the Amazon is standing up to the Brazilian government that, without consulting with the people most affected, is on the verge of undertaking a blasting and dredging project along a river waterway that would destroy their livelihoods. Carmen Foro, a rural activist and a Brazilian union leader on […]