Palestine: Global unions file ILO complaint to recover wages of over 200,000 Palestinian workers in Israel

These abuses have led to millions of dollars of lost income, causing severe financial insecurity, economic distress, deprivation of basic services, and widespread hardship for the affected workers and their families, who have no access to judicial remedies.

Filed on 27 September 2024, under article 24 of the ILO Constitution, the joint complaint details the exploitative conditions faced by more than 200,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank and Gaza, formally or informally employed in Israel at the time of the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. These workers have experienced widespread wage theft due to the suspension of work permits and the unilateral termination of their contracts.

“This is a massive violation of an important ILO convention. Withholding wages from 200,000 workers cannot be tolerated in any way. This is why we are joining the ITUC and the other GUFs in filing this complaint,”

said IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie. 

The global unions’ complaint is based on evidence showing that over 200,000 workers from Gaza and the West Bank have not been paid for work completed before 7 October and have received no wages since. According to ILO estimates, the average daily wage for Palestinian workers employed in Israel under regular work permits was 297.30 shekels (US$79). Claimants estimate that the average weekly wage for workers in the informal economy ranged between 2,100 and 2,600 shekels (US$565-700). For more than a year, Palestinian workers have been unable to recover their outstanding wages or settle wage debts.

“When I visited the West Bank earlier this year, I witnessed the economic destitution experienced by the families of Palestinian workers employed in Israel. As always, working people are enduring the worst of the continuing conflict. Through this petition, we want to ensure that the much-needed backpay is paid out to workers who are struggling to make ends meet,”

stated Luc Triangle, ITUC general secretary.

“International law is clear: no crisis, not even war, can justify the suspension of labour rights or the denial of justice to workers. Palestinian workers, many of whom were employed in Israels’ construction sector, have the right to be paid their outstanding wages. We will not be satisfied until justice is delivered for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian workers who have been denied their due, and a ceasefire is reached,”

said BWI general secretary Ambet Yuson.

The complaint was signed by the following organisations listed in alphabetical order: the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI); Education International (EI); IndustriALL Global Union; International Federation of Journalists (IFJ); International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF); the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF); Public Services International (PSI); Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), and UNI Global Union.

New centre for Tunisia’s women garment workers

Welcoming the opening of the women’s centre, Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director, said: 

“This is about shining a light on the challenges women in the garment sector face daily—whether it's issues around occupational health and safety or gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). Workers deserve access to remedies, and we are acting in line with international conventions, including ILO C190, to ensure that they get that."

FGTHCC-UGTT general secretary Habib Hazemi stressed the need for awareness raising and educating women workers about their rights.

IndustriALL regional secretary Ahmed Kamel said:

"This is another step forward in the implementation of our action plan to support women workers in the industrial sector and a unique initiative to use the GFA in the region. Our sister leaders of IndustriALL MENA women network and IndustriALL Tunisian women network fight every day for more space for women. We trust that this new centre will contribute to the promotion of women's actions and the workplans of the respective women's structures."

Emphasizing ASOS’ commitment, as well as the importance of the centre, Ceren Isat from ASOS’ human rights department, said:

“We’re proud to be part of this project. This will be a place where women can access the support they need, including legal advice, and feel empowered to stand up for their rights,”

In 2017, IndustriALL signed a global framework agreement with ASOS. The women’s centre is part of a larger effort, ensuring women in the garment sector have the support they need to fight for better conditions and fair treatment. ASOS’s sponsorship of the women’s centre aligns with the company’s Fashion with Integrity strategy, which aims to address human rights issues throughout its supply chain.

Speaking about the company's broader goals, Adil Rehman, head of human rights at ASOS, said:

“For us, it's not just about ticking a box when it comes to corporate social responsibility. We’re committed to making real progress by investing in resources on the ground and ensuring long-term sustainability.”

Unions unite for women’s rights

The centre was opened during the MENA textile workers’ week, which included a women’s meeting and session on promoting women engagement and leadership in TGSL unions.

At the meeting, global issues facing women in the garment industry were brought to the forefront. Delegates from across region and Africa spoke about the harsh realities women face.

Women union leaders from Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan emphasized women’s exposure to violence in the workplace and the need for creating space and power for women inside the unions, as well as in the workplace. There is not enough legislation protecting women, and where there is, enforcement is often lacking. Unions are calling for the ratification of ILO C190.

A representative from Mauritius pointed to the poor sanitary conditions in some factories, where hundreds of workers are forced to share a single toilet.

In Lesotho, sexual harassment and exploitation is rife in the industry. Last year, the country ratified ILO Convention 190 and a new occupational health and safety law has been introduced. This, along with national committees focused on ensuring compliance in companies, is giving trade unions the tools to fight back.

Lieketseng Leteka from Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho provided key points on the need to ensure an enabling environment for women workers to report violence and harassment at work. She noted that it is important to make women feel safe by establishing a system that takes into account workers native languages, provides expert councilors/educators and a functioning grievance mechanism.

Iran: mine explosion kills 50

66 miners were working 600 metres down in the coal mine when the explosion due to a gas leak happened. The accident follows on at least four accidents in Iran’s coal mines this year, all due to a lack of adequate safety standards.

The miners toil at great depth with outdated equipment and little to no safety measures in place, earning wages that are four times below the poverty line. According to the Union of Metalworkers and Mechanics of Iran (UMMI) spokesperson Maziyar Gilaninejad, the lack of regular safety inspections by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Labor and sub-standard equipment caused the massacre. The mine in Tabas lacked jet fans for ventilation and removal of methane gas, as well enough methane gas sensors.

Mining accidents killing workers is unfortunately not uncommon in Iran. Last year, six workers were killed at an explosion in a coal mine in Damghan. Two years earlier at the same site, two workers died in a collapse. In 2017, 43 miners were killed in a blast in a mine in Azad Shahr.

Says IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan:

“IndustriALL vehemently condemns this massacre and expresses its condolences and solidarity with the mineworkers and their families in Iran. With the regular deadly accidents in Iran’s mines, it is clear that there is a systemic problem and a lack of political will to rectify it. We urge the Iranian regime to take the responsibility to secure the lives of mineworkers and follow through with serious labour inspections. Miners health and safety cannot be left to the discretion of employers."

Photo: 2024 Tabas coal mine explosion, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Solidarity with workers of Beko in Wrocław and Łódź, Poland

Accusations of poor economic performance have been put forward as a reason for the planned shutdowns. The local workers refute this argumentation as they suspect that costs generated by other factories have been manipulated internally in the group to create a case for closures.

The factory in Wroclaw has a strategic location as it is placed in near proximity of significant trade routes. In the event of an end to the war in Ukraine followed by massive reconstruction, there will be a spike in the demand for white goods and the geographical proximity of all Polish white goods manufacturers will be a huge merit in such a scenario.

The refrigeration branch in Wroclaw has won several awards, a recognition of the plant’s high standards of production, working conditions and competitiveness. Workers at the plants, represented by Metalowców NSZZ Solidarność, were assured in a meeting on 5 July, that the sites would remain open and workers would keep their jobs. Going back on this decision is a clear breach of social dialogue and of workers’ collective bargaining rights.

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

“We stand in full solidarity with our affiliate Metalowców NSZZ Solidarność and with the workers. We support tomorrow’s demonstration and hope that putting the spotlight on this threat of loss of livelihood will bring management back to the negotiation table.”

“People want to work, to produce values as well as earn a safe monthly income. Our two federations call on the management of the company to launch initiatives that can sustain employment for the future,”

says Isabelle Barthes industriAll Europe deputy general secretary.

Unions in Asia-Pacific resolve to strengthen trade union networks

The Asia-Pacific (AP) region represents more than 45 per cent of the global chemical manufacturing and around 70 per cent of global jobs in the chemical industry. IndustriALL’s sector director for chemical and pharmaceutical, Tom Grinter, highlighted that while the sector is expected to grow significantly, the industry may not necessarily translate into well-paying jobs as companies continue to engage in cost competition, thereby setting global minimum standards.

The aim of TU network meetings is to strengthen workers’ struggle in the face of growing challenges posed by global capital.

“TU networks play a crucial role in strengthening union power as well as creating a united front to negotiate with multinational companies. Networks provide a platform to unions to launch joint campaigns, share information and build solidarity,”

said IndustriALL assistant general secretary Christina Olivier.

Union leaders from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines talked about working conditions, quality of jobs, effects of digitalization on the workforce, and collective bargaining agreements in their respective plants and countries. During the meeting, a number of common issues emerged, like the increase in precarious employment, dangerous working conditions, stagnant real wages, harassment and violence against women in the workplace, lack of social protection, including maternity benefits, particularly for contract workers, anti-worker labour laws and government policies, and threats posed by company management to workers’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Julia Berg, from IndustriALL’s german affiliate IGBCE, discussed the new German law, as well as the European directive on human rights due diligence. She emphasized that these legislative tools can be used by unions to ensure better working conditions in MNCs and their supply chain.

Tom Grinter, also touched upon the digitalization that the industry is undergoing and its impact on jobs as well as workforce:

“As trade unions, we must ensure that the transition is not imposed on us. Unions have a right to information, education, training, privacy, and the right to be consulted at the local, regional, national, and international levels. We must assert this right.”

In the AP BASF trade union network meeting, union leaders from BASF plants in the region discussed the situation of workers and their unions countries. The network’s regional coordinator, Raghuram, spoke in detail about the useful exchange of information that transpires within the TU network and its significance.

Union leaders from the BASF North America and Latin America TU networks sent solidarity messages to unionists in the AP region, expressing their support to union struggles and the working class movement in the region. Trade unionists from BASF plants in Germany and Turkey also shared about working conditions and workers’ struggles and victories in their respective plants. The BASF management representatives, Nalini Nutan, BASF human resources head in India and Raju Naik, site-head of the Turbhe plant, joined for a session of dialogue and exchange. Unionists shared best practices from other BASF plants outside of India with the management.

While laying out the way forward, union leaders resolved to build a stronger regional network to share knowledge and resources, and unitedly fight against global capital. Union leaders also committed to work towards making unions more inclusive with more women and young workers in both membership and leadership roles.

Malawi: Conference strategizes on skills training in just energy transition

The conference emphasized on technical and vocational skills training in the renewable energy sector in Malawi which includes solar and wind, highlighting the Zantchito – Skills for jobs programme which is providing short-term vocational skills training courses on renewable energy which also caters for small to medium-sized enterprises. The training is being held jointly with trade unions as represented by the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions and the Malawi Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) includes the installation of solar panels and on renewable energy technologies. The conference highlighted that this is key to upskilling and job creation during the energy transition.
 
The skills training supports Malawi’s national energy policy which aims to increase affordable and reliable access by improving electricity access by 80 percent in 2035 through investment in solar and other renewable energy sources. Further, the policy aims to reduce the energy deficit through investments in decentralized mini-grids, independent power producers, and energy technologies. Currently only 15 percent Malawians have access to electricity. This leaves over 15 million Malawians without electricity access and relying mainly on biomass – firewood, charcoal, and crop residue – for cooking according to government reports.
 
Malawi’s energy mix is dominated by hydropower which generates 95 percent of electricity and renewable energy that includes solar and geothermal, imported petroleum-based products such as liquefied petroleum gas, and biomass. However, hydropower is vulnerable to floods and droughts.
 
There were also discussions on the challenges of the unbundling and privatization of state-owned enterprises in Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe and the implications on trade union organizing.
 
Over 50 participants who participated at the conference were drawn from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The conference was supported by the United Federation of Danish Trade Unions (3F) and other partners including the British Council, Danish Industries, Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA), and the European Union who are also supporting the skills training programme.
 
Other organizations that participated in the conference are the ministry of labour, Ministry of Energy, Employer Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM), Malawi power utility Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (EGENCO), Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA), TEVETA, Mzuzu University, and others.
 
The Sub-Saharan Africa regional office and IndustriALL affiliates from Ghana, Malawi Zimbabwe and participated in the conference. The conference was hosted by the ESCOM Staff Union (ESU) while other IndustriALL affiliates in Malawi – the Chemical Energy Mining and Allied Workers Union (CEMAWU) and the Textile, Garment, Leather, and Security Services Workers Union (TGLSSWU) also participated. ESU is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa Energy Network (SSAEN).
 

“The conference welcomed feasibility partnerships with TEVETA on green energy transition learning from a practical project under the European Union,”

said Bjorn Haar, 3F programmes coordinator.
 
William Mnyamula, ESU secretary general said:
 

“The just energy transition is a crucial topic in global and African development, and in Malawi as it focuses on sustainable, affordable, and long-term energy solutions critical to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).”

“Skills development is an integral part of the energy transition as new jobs are created in the renewable energy sector, and it is critical for unions and vocational training colleges to work together as is currently happening in Malawi,”

said Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Photo: Shutterstock
 

India: union leaders focus on worker issues in base metal and mining sectors

In the base metal workshop, held on 7-8 September, a total of 29 unionists participated. Union leaders represented major base metal factories in the country, such as BALCO, TATA steel and other steel plants in Bhilai, Visakhapatnam, Durgapur, Bokaro, Burnpur, Rourkela. In the mining workshop, held on 9-10 September, around 22 unionists, from subsidiaries of Coal India Limited, National Mineral Development Corporation, Tata Collieries, and iron ore mines of Steel Authority of India, participated. 
 
Union leaders mentioned high production pressures, a severe shortage of qualified personnel, the ever-growing number of precarious workers, privatization of public sector steel companies, outsourcing of mines and mine closures, and serious health and safety concerns in the workplace. 

Additionally, low representation of women and young workers in unions, and declining union membership were also flagged as urgent issues by the union leaders. Technological changes and climate change pose further challenges to workers in this sector, including creating job insecurity.
 
Participants emphasized the need to strengthen union power, build more inclusive unions, and fight against government’s policies on privatisation of public sector companies and precarious employment. Another item highlighted was the inclusion of unions in the discussion on corporate policies regarding ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards. The workshops underscored the importance of union solidarity and effective strategies in addressing the challenges faced by workers in India’s base metal and mining industries.
 
The IndustriALL regional office team also met with the chairman of Coal India Limited to  learn more about the company’s plans regarding Just Transition and stressed the need to include trade unions while formulating these policies. 

The IndustriALL team also visited Nimcha Collieries, an underground mine, and North Searsole open cast mine, both operated by Eastern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited. The aim of the visit was to understand the working conditions and occupational health and safety in mines.
 
Ashutosh Bhattacharya, IndustriALL South Asia regional secretary said:

“IndustriALL affiliates and trade unions can play a critical role in ensuring a just transition that prioritizes workers' rights and safeguards their livelihoods. Their active participation is essential in shaping policies that not only address climate change but also guarantee health and safety in the workplace. A sustainable future must be inclusive, fair, and secure for all workers. We extend our solidarity to all affiliates in India as they work towards shaping a sustainable industry.”

Workers on the streets in Brussels demand a Just Transition amid auto industry crisis

The protest comes in the wake of Volkswagen’s recent announcement to suspend its jobs agreement and collective bargaining agreements. Organized by IndustriALL Europe and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the demonstration brought together workers, union leaders, and industry stakeholders to highlight the growing challenges facing the sector, particularly as companies shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) and face mounting economic pressures.

Georg Leutert emphasizes that the auto industry is at a critical turning point, and workers must be central to the transformation.

“Volkswagen’s decision was a major shock, especially given the company’s reputation as a gold standard in labour relations. This highlights the enormous pressure auto companies are under, particularly due to the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. The financial constraints, exacerbated by the loss of market share, particularly in China but also in Europe, are being passed on to workers, which is unacceptable.”

As the industry rapidly shifts towards electrification, driven by climate goals and new technologies, workers are increasingly worried about job security and labour conditions. The demonstration in Brussels was a powerful reminder that the future of the auto industry cannot be built at the expense of workers.

"China is leading the EV revolution, both in terms of technology and cost, and European automakers are struggling to keep up. The transition to electric vehicles is inevitable if we want to meet our climate targets, but we cannot ignore the fact that this shift is creating huge pressure on traditional automakers—and in turn, on their workers," 

says Georg.

The success of recent labour negotiations in the U.S., where United Auto Workers (UAW) successfully bargained for new battery factories to be included in national labour agreements, ensures that workers moving from engine plants to battery production facilities maintained their wages and benefits. 

“We need more examples like these of Just Transition”

says Georg.

“Workers are part of this transformation, whether they are moving to new battery factories or adapting to other changes in the industry, and deserve to keep their rights and protections. This should be the standard across Europe and beyond.”

At the heart of the protest is a broader concern: the risk that traditional auto companies, which have long upheld strong labour standards, may lose ground to new industry players with less favourable working conditions. Companies like Volkswagen have been models of social dialogue and codetermination, where workers had a seat at the table through global works councils and collective agreements. The worry is that the rise of anti-union newcomers could undermine these longstanding practices.

“Volkswagen’s structure of social dialogue is exceptional, with workers around the world having a direct line to corporate management,”

says Georg.

“We must ensure that unions continue to have a strong voice across the industry—both in established companies like Volkswagen and globally. If not, the gains that protect workers during times of change could be at risk as anti-union cultures become more prominent.”

As the auto industry continues to evolve, organizing workers in emerging sectors, including electric vehicle production, is crucial to preserving labour rights. Many of the new players in the mobility market, particularly in tech companies and electric vehicle startups, are unorganized and hostile to unions, posing a significant challenge to the labour movement.

“We are seeing too many companies in the auto sector that are completely unorganized, especially in newer areas like electric vehicle production,”

Georg warns.

“Tesla, for instance, is notoriously anti-union, and tech companies entering the mobility market are following suit. We need to act now, organizing workers in these sectors is essential for ensuring fair labour standards moving forward.”

Photo credit: IndustriALL European Trade Union

Making the textile and garment industry in MENA and Africa safer

In his opening remarks, UGTT general secretary Noureddine Taboubi welcomed participants and stressed the union's commitment to work for legislation that strengthens human and labour rights. He was joined by Habib Hazami, general secretary of Tunisia's General Textile Federation who reiterated that occupational health and safety is a fundamental pillar of the union's work in the country's textile and garment sector.

The textile and garment industry represents hundreds of thousands of workers in the MENA region. This year marks ten years of IndustriALL work in the sector in the region.

Says IndustriALL regional secretary Ahmed Kamel:

"When we started, workers faced issues on collective bargaining, the right to organize, occupational health and safety, sectoral agreements and precarious work. After ten years of intensive work together with our affiliates, we have addressed many issues and see an increasing participation of women and youth, implementation of global framework agreements, social dialogue with brands that produce in the region.

"But the main challenge is the sustainability of the work we have achieved, like women participation at union leadership positions, industry wide agreements, and incorporation of legally binding agreements like the International Accord."

The meeting heard of serious challenges to health and safety from participating unions. The situation in Ethiopia's textile and garment sector is alarming, where massive retrenchments are causing suffering and increasing poverty among garment workers.

Wage theft is a recurring problem in the sector throughout the whole region, as is gender-based violence and harassment. Not least in Lesotho where female garment workers are often asked for sexual favours in exchange for jobs.

But despite a dire picture, women in Lesotho now has a framework to come forward and report GVBH, thanks to a partnership co-chaired by the US government and the ITUC. This has led to progress in addressing GBVH violations in the factories. In addition, the country has adopted a new labour code and has also ratified ILO Convention 190.

Showing how addressing wage theft through collective bargaining, IndustriALL regional secretary Paule Ndessomin shared the example from South African union SACTWU.

"The CBAs they have negotiated for the sector allow for the maintenance of living wages and better working conditions. The agreements are also extended to non-union members."

In both Jordan and Mauritius, migrant workers make up a large part of the workforce in the industry. Migrant workers in Mauritius don’t benefit from same laws as domestic workers; as they don’t contribute to social protection, at the end of their contract, workers don’t benefit from pension etc. Health and safety conditions are often ignored, with some workers getting injured at work while squalid conditions in workers dormitories are common. To counter exploitations, in 2022, IndustriALL affiliate CTSP and ASOS teamed up together with Anti-Slavery International to open a migrant resource centre.

A lack of standards and dated labour laws form part of the challenge with occupational health and safety in Morocco and Tunisia. Although Tunisia has ratified ILO C187 OHS, unions say the Convention has yet to be translated into practice.

What is needed for the textile and garment industry to become safer?

In 2022, the ILO adopted a resolution making a safe and healthy working environment a new fundamental principle and right at work. As the declaration is universal, it means that ILO member-states have an obligation to respect, promote and realise the principles concerning fundamental rights.

Beatriz Cunha, sectoral specialist at the ILO presented the ILO code of practice for textile and garment industry, a reference for guiding industrial practices that has been translated into 15 languages. Although not legally binding, among other things, unions can use it to
raise awareness of the importance of safety and health, to identify the main risks in the sector or workplace, and to provide guidance for the development and negotiation of control measures to address risks.

The OECD due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains in the garment and footwear sector recommends that businesses engage workers and trade unions on labour rights through the six steps of the due diligence framework, and uphold rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Says Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director:

“IndustriALL’s campaign Garment workers need safe factories continues. We need legally binding agreements in the sector and continue to advocate for due diligence legislation and working to raise institutional investor awareness and encourage investors to engage their companies to become signatories.”

The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry was established in 2013 following the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, which claimed the lives of more than 1,100 garment workers who didn't have the right to refuse unsafe work. Reflecting on the progress in Bangladesh, Clara Kamphorst from the Accord told participants that to date the Accord has

In 2022, the Accord was extended to Pakistan, where it

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

"The textile and garment sector has experienced some of the worst tragedies in the world of work, making the work on occupational health and safety even more critical. Listening to participants, this meeting has shown that there are similar challenges in all countries in both MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa. This provides a strong incentive for further cooperation to find solutions.”

There is still a gender pay gap

To combat this, last year IndustriALL launched the Pay Equity Toolkit, developed by global expert on pay equity and gender-based violence Jane Pillinger, offering unions strategies to address pay inequality. Key steps include raising awareness, promoting pay transparency, tackling structural causes, and supporting low-paid workers in both formal and informal sectors.
 
Building on the toolkit, IndustriALL is developing training modules to help unions calculate, report, and negotiate on pay equity. Training will take place in Uganda and Turkey in 2024, with support from FES.

Key ILO stats (2024):

IndustriALL gender director Armelle Seby says:

“Fighting against the persisting gender pay gap has been defined by the women's committee as a priority for IndustriALL. Both the toolkit and the training modules are aimed to better equip affiliates to better understand what is the gender pay gap and how to conduct gender neutral job evaluations in order to fight against the undervaluing of women’s work. A big part of the training module is dedicated to train trade unions on how to bargain on all these issues. Training members of collective bargaining teams is key, so that trade unions will be able to put the value of the jobs, including feminised jobs, at the centre of collective bargaining and social dialogue.”