ILO highlights the work of UNI and affiliates to stop workplace violence

A new ILO report titled “Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: Trade Union Initiatives, Strategies and Negotiations Since the Adoption of the Convention on Violence and Harassment (No. 190) and Its Recommendation (No. 206), 2019” spotlights several initiatives by UNI and our affiliates to combat violence and harassment in workplaces.

The study gives a detailed look at how unions adapted their strategies during the pandemic, including addressing third-party violence, gender-based violence, the impact of digitalization and the rise of domestic violence, especially in remote work settings.

It holds up UNI’s global “Stop Violence and Harassment in Commerce” campaign along with several Equal Opportunities campaigns, such as for the ratification and implementation of the ILO C190. Additionally, the report discusses the impacts of several of our global agreements and unions’ activities, campaigns and shared best practices. 

Our agreements with Carrefour, Credit Agricole, Orange, among others are given as examples of how global unions are helping workers secure their rights to a workplace free of violence and harassment. 

Additionally, the ILO recognizes UNI Europa’s Joint Statement on Diversity and Inclusion in the finance sector (2022) as a groundbreaking way of addressing both non-discrimination and inclusion of LGBTI+ workers, and their vulnerability to and experiences of violence and harassment.

The report lifts the work of several affiliates, such as UA Zensen in Japan, the SDA Union in Australia, the CCOO in Spain and PAM in Finland.

To further this work, the ILO recommends that unions continue to provide training and awareness-raising about all forms of violence and harassment, align C190 and R206 in workplace negotiations and promote leadership training for women.