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Trade unions across the planet are marking World Day for Decent Work – a global day to demand stronger government action for economic recovery, job creation, decent working conditions and the respect for workers’ rights.



Coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), World Day for Decent Work has seen tens of millions of people take action on 7 October for the last six years. Just 7% of working people in the formal and informal sectors are union members, yet hundreds of millions more want the security and protection that unions provide, the ITUC says.



Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary said, “Workers’ rights are not negotiable yet a decent work deficit exists in varying degrees in most nations throughout supply chains and for the majority of women and migrants. People feel abandoned by their government as they prioritise business interests over the concerns of working people and their families.”



UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings said, “The message of World Day for Decent Work rings truer than ever - a decent job for all, with decent pay and a voice at work.



“But these rights are being denied to millions because of poor laws, poor enforcement and anti-union practices by some of the world’s biggest employers. That's why UNI will be urging all of its 20 million members to use this day as a catalyst for change."



To add your voice to World Day for Decent Work, visit the official website at http://2013.wddw.org/english/home/