Trade union rights are universally recognised human rights at work. The two key ILO Conventions 87 and 98 which define and guarantee them have been ratified by 148 and 158 Member States of the ILO, respectively, out of the total of 181 worldwide. They are also codified in a raft of national constitutions and legislation. And yet, as this Survey shows, trade union rights are also subject to massive and often vicious violation. Evidently, ratification is one thing, and application quite another.
This Survey gives an overview of the trade union rights situation in the world in 2007 and of the major violations that took place. In many cases they had fatal consequences. But they also reflect wasted opportunities to promote better labour relations, improve working conditions and productivity and to build or consolidate democratic institutions.
