The World of Work, the Right to Work and Worker Organisations

Generalisations are always dangerous, and this holds for generalisations concerning working situations as well. Societies with different cultures, histories, levels of economic development and social and political conditions will necessarily present different contexts for the rights of workers. I venture here to address the problems which arise between the declared principles of the ‘right to work’ as formulated in international instruments and the realities labourers have to face. I maintain that some rethinking of established approaches should occur; especially do we need to rethink the assumption that ‘the right to work’ is the same as the right to a job. I will try to make the same contrast between freedom of association and the right to organise in trade unions.