October 7: World Day for Decent Work
From the 175,000 people at the One Nation Working Together rally Oct. 2 to the hundreds of thousands in mass demonstrations across Europe last week, workers are demanding elected leaders stop talking about creating jobs and actually get down to the business of putting people back to work. Today is the third annual World Day for Decent Work, and those voices will reach a crescendo across the globe as workers take to the streets on every continent to say: “The only way to end the global economic crisis is to create decent jobs with living wages, benefits and a dignified retirement.”
In Japan, union members will march and rally today in 50 cities. Dozens of marches, conferences and youth meetings are scheduled across Africa, Europe, South America and Australia. Altogether, workers have planned more than 285 events for today to raise their voices. Check out some of the plans on a special here.
Workers Around the World March for Jobs
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With nearly 200 million people jobless across the globe, working men and women face a worldwide economic crisis and are speaking out on both sides of the Atlantic to change it.
In the United States, tens of thousands of working families will take part in the One Nation Working Together march and rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Oct. 2. The AFL-CIO is joining One Nation Working Together, a progressive grassroots coalition of dozens of unions and civil and human rights organizations in calling for jobs, justice and education for all.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who will speak at the One Nation rally, says:
During this economic downturn, creating good jobs and helping those who have lost their jobs are defining issues not only for Americans–but for all workers throughout the world. We need a global economic recovery that works for all working people.
In complimentary events around the country Saturday, union members will walk door to door in targeted states around the country, mobilizing union members for the fall elections.
Workers, Bloggers Get Ready for World Day for Decent Work
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With just one month to go before the World Day for Decent Work, Oct. 7, trade unions across the world are stepping up pressure for decent jobs and social justice. And bloggers can play a big role in spreading the message.
Bloggers Unite has set up a special World Day for Decent Work site here and is asking bloggers to submit blogs on or before Oct. 7 about events in their areas. Blogs about the hundreds of events planned for Oct. 7 around the world will show world leaders how determined workers are to get decent jobs with good pay, safe working conditions and benefits. Take part by signing up today to submit blogs to Bloggers Unite here.
Organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), World Day for Decent Work is a day for mobilization around the world: one day when all the trade unions in the world stand up for decent work, at home and abroad.
Workers Push for Fair Wages in Asian Garment Industry
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Workers in Asia, the United States, United Kingdom and throughout Europe are mobilizing to secure a living wage for garment workers in Asia. The Asia Floor Wage is focused on making sure that the more than 100 million mostly women workers in the Asian garment industry receive adequate wages for what they produce.
Launched on Oct. 7, World Day for Decent Work, the Asia Floor Wage is pushing for a minimum wage equivalent to $475 for a month with a 48-hour workweek. That’s twice what Indonesian laborers get. It’s three times the minimum rate of pay in Sri Lanka and more than six times the wage in Bangladesh.
Today Is World Day for Decent Work
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Today is World Day for Decent Work, and union members in more than 100 countries are mobilizing to address the global economic and employment crisis and demand fundamental reform of the world economy.
The deepest global recession since the 1930s has led to a jobs crisis with millions of people out of work. The International Labor Organization (ILO) predicts that as many as 50 million more workers could be kicked out of jobs worldwide in the next year and could lead to a dramatic increase in the number of working poor.
Live online coverage of the activities around the world, including videos, photographs and messages from events in every continent, will be broadcast on a special website, www.wddw.org, which will be updated via a 24-hour live feed.
