Human and labour rights under attack in Iran

The communications blackout is being used to conceal serious human rights’ violations, silence workers’ voices and prevent documentation of abuses. Restoring full access to the internet and independent communications is an urgent and legitimate demand of the protests.
 
Since late December, demonstrations driven by a deepening economic crisis, soaring inflation and collapsing livelihoods have spread rapidly across the country. Protesters have faced extreme repression, including the use of military grade ammunition and heavy weaponry in urban areas. Reports from inside Iran, despite the blackout, indicate mass arrests, widespread injuries and a rising death toll. The use of lethal force against people exercising their fundamental rights to protest and strike is unacceptable and must end immediately.
 
The detention and imprisonment of people for participating in protests is another grave violation. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political detainees arrested for taking part in demonstrations are fully justified. No one should be deprived of their rights and freedoms because they have spoken out against poverty, injustice or corruption.
 
The blackout itself constitutes a serious violation of the right to information and freedom of expression. Cutting off internet and phone services not only isolates the population but also places lives at further risk by preventing access to emergency services, independent news and international scrutiny. An internet shutdown is not a security measure; it is a tool to hide crimes.
 
Alongside condemning the violence and repression, IndustriALL reiterates core labour and human rights demands. Iranian authorities must fully implement the provisions of the International Labour Organization conventions 87 and 98, which guarantee freedom of association, collective bargaining and trade union rights. The Islamic Republic of Iran must recognize the right of workers to strike in defence of fair wages and humane conditions of service.
 
The current economic crisis has pushed millions into poverty. Iran must set a minimum wage at a level that allows workers and their families to afford food, housing and essential utilities, ensuring a dignified standard of living for all. Policies that entrench inequality while protecting elite privilege have fuelled widespread anger and must be reversed.
 
IndustriALL assistant general secretary, Kemal Özkan, said:

“Iranian workers and citizens are legitimately demanding dignity, justice and a voice in shaping their today and future. The use of violence against them is unacceptable and all those detained for exercising their rights must be released immediately. Iran must respect international labour standards, recognize the right to strike and ensure wages that allow workers and their families to live in dignity. IndustriALL Global Union stresses that the future course of developments in Iran is the sole preserve of its people.”

 
IndustriALL stands in solidarity with the people and workers of Iran. The demands being raised for an end to violence, for freedom of communication, for the release of detainees, for basic labour rights and for economic justice are legitimate and rooted in universal human dignity. The international community must not remain silent in the face of repression carried out behind a wall of digital darkness.
 

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IndustriALL calls to defend the rule-based international order

IndustriALL Global Union stands behind the statement made by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), condemning the US military attack on Venezuela and the violation of its sovereignty. This is a clear violation of international law and cannot be tolerated. Forced regime change is not acceptable anywhere in the world. We support the demand for an immediate release of the President and his wife and call for an urgent return to dialogue so that peace, sovereignty and self-determination are upheld in the region.

IndustriALL is extremely concerned about this dangerous move away from an international rule-based order and reiterate the call from our Congress in November last year.

At its Congress in Sydney in November 2025, IndustriALL reaffirmed that peace, respect for international law and universal human rights are non-negotiable foundations as we build towards a just and sustainable world. Congress also underlined the role of international institutions, such as the United Nations in peacekeeping, mediation and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Unilateral military actions that bypass multilateral institutions undermine this framework, weakening global efforts to maintain peace.

The Congress resolution recalls that international trade must work for working people, be grounded in rules that apply to all and respect fundamental workers’ rights. Geopolitical escalation and unilateral measures disrupt global and regional supply chains, destabilise economies and place workers at greater risk of job losses, trade union repression and declining wages and working conditions.

IndustriALL calls on governments to:

IndustriALL reaffirms its solidarity with workers and communities affected by conflict, repression and economic instability. This particularly goes to people and workers in Venezuela. As trade unions, we stand for peace, democracy, social justice and workers’ rights globally. Without peace and respect for the rule of law, decent work and fair trade are impossible.

Image: Shutterstock

Unions from Adidas supplier countries meet amid growing concerns over collective bargaining

Around 30 union representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Myanmar, alongside a delegation from German union IGBCE, gathered in Tangerang, Indonesia, to strengthen coordination between unions in Adidas production countries and gain clearer insight into how labour standards are applied across the supply chain.

The meeting took place against growing concern over Adidas’ approach to collective bargaining. In Germany, the company withdrew from sectoral collective bargaining on 1 September 2025, a move unions describe as unexpected and damaging to long-standing social partnership arrangements.

Addressing the meeting, IGBCE executive board member Alexander Bercht said Adidas had previously been covered by collective agreements for the shoe and sporting goods industry. He told delegates that repeated efforts to persuade the company to return to collective bargaining had failed and that management had not responded to demands to begin negotiations on a domestic agreement.

The decision in Germany has been closely watched by union representatives in Asia. Delegates raised concerns about working conditions in their home countries, citing limited worker protections, pressure on supplier companies and obstacles to raising complaints. Several warned that developments in Germany risk sending a negative signal throughout the supply chain.

“The issue of collective bargaining at Adidas plays a huge role around the world,”

Bercht said, noting that decisions taken at headquarters often shape labour relations far beyond Europe.

Ahead of the meeting, IndustriALL Global Union raised its concerns directly with Adidas management. In a letter to chief executive Bjørn Gulden, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie called on the company to restore its collective bargaining commitments in Germany and uphold international labour standards across its operations. IndustriALL has also urged Adidas to join the ACT initiative, which promotes living wages and collective bargaining in the garment and footwear industry. While brands including C&A, H&M, Inditex and Zalando are signatories, Adidas has so far declined to participate.

Delegates also raised concerns about Adidas’ continued sourcing from Myanmar, where a military junta seized power in 2021. Union representatives cited the case of supplier Pou Chen and warned that freedom of association is not possible under current conditions, increasing risks for workers.

To strengthen long-term oversight of labour rights, wages and environmental standards, unions agreed to establish an international Adidas network under the umbrella of IndustriALL. The network aims to improve information sharing, strengthen organizing across borders and increase pressure on the company to engage in meaningful social dialogue.

“This meeting and the establishment of a global union network mark an important step in linking disputes over collective bargaining in Germany with the realities faced by workers throughout Adidas’ global supply chain,”

said Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile and garment director.

“Bringing workers together across borders shows the strength of union solidarity.”

Lululemon supplier terminates 500 Philippine workers during Christmas

Although the company paid one month’s wages in lieu of notice, severance pay and prorated 13th-month pay and coordinated with other freeport employers and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on re-hiring activities, the union TF2 said the severance pay was inappropriate, as it amounted to only 50 per cent of the agreed amount. TF2 also said the closure could be an act of union busting in disguise.

TF2 representative Laudicia Casana says:

“The closure has resulted in serious economic and psychological impacts on workers and their families. DOLE, Lululemon and the Clothing, Textile Industry Tripartite Council (CTITC) should convene a thorough investigation. The closure is tantamount to the abolition of the sole and exclusive bargaining agent (SEBA) union, which constitutes an unfair labour practice under the Philippine Labour Code and must not be tolerated.”

Members of the IndustriALL Global Union affiliate TF2–FFW Kilos Damit at the factory said they were shocked by the announcement. TF2 expressed deep regret over what it described as an inconsiderate decision, noting that the employer did not engage the union in social dialogue over such an important management decision.

In 2021, the company cited the Covid-19 pandemic as justification for placing more than 100 workers on indefinite unpaid leave. It also delayed the collective bargaining process and dismissed eight union leaders from the Charter Link Inc Employees Union (CLIEU-FFW). Following the intervention of IndustriALL, Lululemon and the labour court, the eight union leaders were reinstated.

In a letter to the Department of Labor and Employment, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie urged the Philippine government to conduct a full and transparent investigation into the closure of Charter Link Clark, including verification of the reasons given by the company.

“The government must ensure full compliance with the collective bargaining agreement and all applicable labour laws. Should the company resume operations under the same or a different name, and in the same or a different location, we strongly request that affected workers be given priority in recall and re-employment, in line with Philippine labour standards and principles of fair labour practice,”

Atle Høie added.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

A deadly night at sea: when dishonesty, legal gaps and unsafe practices cost workers' their lives

Eyewitness testimony from co-workers makes clear that this was a workplace accident. Several workers were deployed in small boats to guide and secure the ship K Ashia’s anchor as it was being beached in heavy fog and poor visibility. As the vessel veered off course, it struck the workers’ boat. Two men were thrown into the sea and never returned alive. Their bodies were recovered hours later along the shoreline—one intact, the other dismembered by the ship’s propeller.

Despite this, the yard owner initially attempted to deny responsibility, claiming the deaths resulted from a robbery attempt and an external attack. This account was contradicted by workers, union representatives and ultimately, by the owner’s own actions. Compensation was paid to the families—an implicit acknowledgement that the deaths occurred in the course of work, not as a criminal incident unrelated to yard operations.

Thanks to the swift intervention of trade unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, the families did not face this injustice alone. Union leaders challenged the employer’s narrative, engaged with authorities and negotiated directly with management. As a result, both families received compensation of approximately 1.1 million BDT each (US$ 9 000). While this support is critical, no amount of money can replace a life lost and the compensation remains insufficient for families who have lost their primary breadwinners.

“This tragedy exposes what happens when safety is treated as optional and responsibility is denied. “Beaching a ship at night may be legal under current rules, but it should not be. Sending workers into the dark, in fog and poor visibility, is a recipe for disaster. Compensation after the fact does not excuse the failure to prevent these deaths. The law must be strengthened so that workers’ lives are protected at every stage of ship recycling,”

said Walton Pantland, IndustriALL director for shipbuilding and shipbreaking. 

This case also exposes a dangerous legal gap. Night work in shipbreaking yards is widely recognized as unsafe and is restricted under existing regulations. However, current law in Bangladesh governs dismantling operations—not ship beaching. As a result, beaching vessels at night remains legal, even in conditions of poor visibility and extreme risk. This tragedy, highlights the urgent need to extend legal protections to all stages of ship recycling.

Ship recycling remains one of the most hazardous industrial sectors in the world. In Sitakunda alone, dozens of serious accidents occur every year, many resulting in amputations, permanent disability or death. When employers obscure the truth and exploit regulatory gaps, workers bear the cost with their lives.

Compensation after death is not justice. Justice means preventing such incidents from happening in the first place—by banning night-time beaching, enforcing strict safety standards, holding employers accountable and establishing long-term social protection systems so that families are not left without support when tragedy strikes.

Khalek and Saiful deserved safe working conditions and honesty from their employer. Their deaths must strengthen the call for reform, enforcement and dignity for all ship recycling workers.

Union advocacy cuts mine worker fatalities in Pakistan in 2025

Pakistan’s mining sector has long been among the country’s most dangerous, marked by unsafe working conditions, weak enforcement of safety standards, low pay and limited social protection. Until recently, more than 300 mine workers were reported to die each year, with over 3,000 suffering serious injuries, according to IndustriALL affiliates in Pakistan—figures likely understated due to widespread under-reporting, particularly in remote areas like Balochistan.

Conditions improved in 2025 following several key developments. After a series of attacks, the Balochistan government deployed army troops to affected areas, curbing illegal mining operations that had accounted for a significant share of fatal accidents. In March, the enactment of the Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act 2025 introduced a new legal framework more closely aligned with international safety standards.

Severe flooding over the past year has also forced the closure of numerous mining sites, contributing to a decline in reported accidents.

A further step came in November 2024, when mining employers and the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF) signed an agreement, following a meeting supported by IndustriALL and Australia’s Mining & Energy Union (MEU), covering occupational safety and health, skills development, access to medical care, wages, protective equipment, safer transport and social protection. Regular OSH campaigns and awareness workshops were also carried out under the Save Mining campaign.

Health and safety workshop

Another mining affiliate in Pakistan, PMWF has also been actively campaigning to improve safety and health standards, urging federal and provincial authorities to ratify and implement the ILO Safety and Health in Mines Convention (C176). Its efforts include raising awareness among more than 840 miners about safe mining, promoting training and medical support, and advocating for stronger enforcement of safety regulations to prevent accidents and fatalities.

Throughout 2025, IndustriALL mining affiliates PMWF and PCMLF, with support from MEU, held monthly occupational health and safety awareness workshops across major mining clusters in Balochistan, focusing on hazard identification, workers’ rights and emergency preparedness. At the same time, IndustriALL stepped up its campaign for Pakistan to ratify C176 on safety and health in mines, pressing the government to align national legislation with international standards and strengthen accountability.

Despite these gains, illegal mines continue to operate in some areas with institutional backing, while restricted media access has contributed to the under-reporting of accidents. Although official figures point to a 50 per cent drop in accidents in 2025, unions and the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) estimate the decline at closer to 20–25 per cent. IndustriALL affiliates in Pakistan will continue to the fight for safety for mine workers across the country.

Atle Høie, general secretary, IndustriALL says:

“In May 2025, the government expressed its intention to ratify three key ILO conventions; C155 on occupational safety and health, C187 on the promotional framework for occupational safety and health, and C176 on safety and health in mines. The ratifications are expected to be completed by early 2026 and are an important step forward. However, these commitments must now be translated into real implementation on the ground.”

IndustriALL and ENI strengthen global labour commitments

The negotiation process lasted two years and involved active participation by trade unions across multiple countries and sectors in which ENI operates. It stands as a clear example that global bargaining and transnational cooperation continue to be effective tools for protecting workers in a rapidly changing world.

At the signing ceremony held in Milan on 13 January, representatives of ENI’s global management, Italian trade unions, and an international delegation from IndustriALL underscored the significance of the agreement as a living instrument for social dialogue and the protection of labour rights throughout the company’s global value chain.

All of the members of the global committee gave concrete examples where they had used the GFA to achieve important wins for their members.

The renewed agreement includes several key improvements over the previous version:

One of the most important aspects highlighted by the unions is the shared commitment to maintaining the agreement as a living, evolving instrument capable of responding to the major challenges of today and tomorrow: decarbonization, digitalization and increasingly complex supply chains. In a global context marked by geopolitical uncertainty and growing pressure on labour rights, this type of agreement demonstrates that ambitious and responsible cooperation remains possible.
 
The renewed GFA reinforces the monitoring tools and institutionalized dialogue mechanisms between the company and the global trade union movement. The agreement maintains and strengthens the annual review process, creating a space for joint assessment, transparency, and accountability.

“This renewed agreement is not just symbolic, it’s a real commitment to fundamental labour rights, corporate responsibility and a Just Transition. The fact that a company like ENI is reinforcing its due diligence practices in today’s global context and integrating ILO Convention 190 sends a strong signal of leadership. But beyond the text, what really matters is implementation: it’s time to work together to make these commitments a reality everywhere ENI operates,”

says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

Sri Lanka ratifies ILO Convention 190: A milestone for workers’ rights


The ratification follows a key decision by the cabinet of ministers, which approved the legal provisions required to ratify and implement the convention in December 2025. This decision paves the way for the government to draft and enforce the necessary national laws and regulations.
 
Convention 190, adopted by the International Labour Conference in 2019, is the first international labour standard specifically aimed at preventing and addressing violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based harassment. It promotes safe, dignified employment conditions for all workers.
 
IndustriALL and its affiliates in Sri Lanka played a sustained role in achieving this milestone. National-level seminars, dialogues and awareness campaigns were organized by unions, in collaboration with civil society organizations, to highlight the importance of C190 and push for government action.
 
Affiliate leaders welcomed the ratification while also emphasizing the work ahead:

“We are happy that Sri Lanka has become the second country in South Asia to ratify C190,”

said Palitha, president of NUMMS and general secretary of the IndustriALL Sri Lanka Council.

“Our unions campaigned from the day the convention came into action, mobilizing workers and holding dialogues across sectors to ensure understanding of its protections and to advocate for its ratification,”

he added.
 

“As unions, we see this as a victory for the years-long campaign carried out by organized and unorganized workers to ratify this convention, which protects workers from workplace harassment and abuse. However, our battle is only half won. Ratification of C190 is meaningless without the local legislature passing a corresponding Workplace Anti-Harassment Law. Without such a law, our workers cannot fully enjoy the protections guaranteed under this convention. Hence, we will continue to campaign until Parliament passes a Workplace Anti-Harassment Law that aligns fully with the principles and provisions of C190,”

said Swasthika, president of CIWU.
 
The ratification of ILO Convention 190 not only aligns Sri Lanka with international labour standards but also highlights the critical role of trade unions and social partners in shaping policies that protect workers’ rights, promote gender equality, and foster safer workplaces across both formal and informal sectors.
 

“Sri Lanka’s ratification of ILO Convention 190 is a major step forward for workers’ rights and dignity at work. Violence and harassment have no place in the world of work and this convention provides a powerful framework to address them. The focus must now shift to implementation, ensuring that strong national legislation is adopted and that workers, especially women and those in precarious employment, are fully protected in practice,”

said Christina Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary. 

UA Zensen: Japan’s largest industrial union at a turning point

As president of UA Zensen, what are your top strategic priorities for the next three to five years?

“Our top priority is organizing, which is important for IndustriALL overall and of course for us as well.

“Japan’s unionization rate continues to fall, but UA Zensen is committed to increasing membership and exceeding our annual organizing targets. As unions in Japan are enterprise-based, we must reach companies that remain unorganised. We have already made progress in organizing part-time workers, who were traditionally not included, and we want to keep widening the scope of union membership. Our long-term goal is to build unions in every company and to strengthen bargaining power, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises.

“UA Zensen has a long-standing focus on identifying and fostering leaders, which is something I am proud of. Since the 1960s, we have helped develop leaders both domestically and internationally, strengthening today’s labour movement. We are also working to develop the next generation of leaders and to promote more balanced leadership, particularly by supporting women.”

Your own background spans twenty-five years in the movement. How has your experience shaped your leadership today?

“I started in retail and became a full-time union officer in 2000. The company I worked for went bankrupt and we were struggling through a restructuring plan, supporting our members throughout. After a merger, I became general secretary of AEON Retail Workers’ Union. From there I continued to advance within UA Zensen, becoming chair of the commerce sector, vice president, and then last year president of UA Zensen. I also serve as deputy president of RENGO and as a steering committee member of IndustriALL’s textile and garment sector.

“The tasks are more difficult now. Twenty-five years ago I could focus on a narrower set of issues. Today the challenges are broader and more diverse, and the responsibilities have grown.”

How do you see UA Zensen’s role within Japan’s wider labour movement, given declining unionization rates?

“As I mentioned, we have to organize unorganised companies and accelerate our organizing efforts if we are to counter the decline in union density. Many unions are struggling with the same challenge. We should work more closely with RENGO, the Japanese trade union confederation, to help stop this trend. RENGO is trying to organize individual workers, and it may be necessary for us to consider other forms of organizing as well.”

How would you describe general attitudes toward unions in Japan?

“Japan has long had harmonious industrial relations and a history linked to the three guiding principles of productivity. With this approach, companies and unions cooperate in production, and after companies make a profit we negotiate over the distribution of that profit. In general this creates good relationships. However, some global multinational companies see unions as enemies, and in those cases the situation is more difficult.”

Can you please let us know more about UA Zensen’s focus on human rights due diligence?

“UA Zensen works to promote human rights due diligence in supply chains, and here global framework agreements are an important tool, implemented through social dialogue. In Japan, only three GFAs have been signed – one with IndustriALL and Mizuno, and two with Uni Global Union and AEON and Takashimaya. Japanese brands can be proud of this, but more work is needed and GFAs should be expanded to other companies. Increasing society’s awareness of human rights due diligence is important, and GFAs provide a meaningful way to help achieve that.”

What does global solidarity mean to UA Zensen in practice?

“Global solidarity is important and beneficial for two reasons. First, being globally connected allows us to obtain information that is valuable for unions and also for companies, because we can detect problems early and try to solve them.

“Second, we can learn from other countries. Workers in Japan and elsewhere face similar challenges, and some countries have solutions or initiatives that we can learn from. When Japanese companies operate overseas, there may be labour disputes or union-busting. Local unions sometimes reach out to us, and because we can obtain information and extend support, this becomes beneficial for the workers and also for the companies involved.”

FACT BOX

UA Zensen is Japan’s largest industrial union, representing more than 1.9 million members across a wide range of industries that shape daily life. Its coverage spans everything from textiles, chemical, pharmaceuticals and energy, to building materials, commerce and restaurants, including temporary agency work and contract work. The union is affiliated to the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, RENGO.

Cover photo: Tomoko Nagashima at IndustriALL Congress in Sydney, Australia, November 2025.

Nationwide protests against power privatization in Pakistan

The protests, organized by the All Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Workers Union -APWHEWU, were held in major cities including Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Quetta. Thousands of workers gathered under the union’s banner, chanting slogans against the government’s privatization plans and its failure to curb soaring electricity prices.

In Lahore, workers led by APWHEWU demonstrated outside the Press Club, calling on the prime minister and the federal energy minister to engage with workers and address their long-standing concerns. The union criticized the government’s compliance with international monetary fund (IMF)-driven reforms, pointing to failed privatization attempts in Rawalpindi and Multan as evidence that such policies do not serve public interest.

The union argued that expensive electricity purchases from independent power producers (IPPs) have made power unaffordable for ordinary consumers, pushing millions into energy poverty.

Four key demands were raised, including the lifting of the nine-year recruitment ban in the power sector to ease excessive workloads and reduce the risk of on-duty accidents. Calls were also made for improved safety measures, including the provision of proper protective equipment for line staff and the strict enforcement of safety protocols. In addition, there was a demand for an immediate halt to the privatization of power distribution companies in the national and public interest, alongside negotiations with IPPs to renegotiate contracts and bring down electricity tariffs.

Secretary general of APWHEWU, Khurshid Ahmed, said: 

“We, the workers and union, reaffirmed its commitment to resisting privatization and campaigning for affordable electricity. The federal government of Pakistan must prioritize national welfare and worker safety over IMF conditions. This is not just about our jobs—it is about the future of public services and the right of ordinary people to affordable electricity.” 

The union warned that if their demands are ignored, the protests will intensify in the coming weeks.

Regional secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Ashutosh Bhattachoraya, said: 

“We are in full solidarity with this nationwide protest by energy sector workers and the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (APWHEWU). Their collective action sends a clear message—privatization is not the solution to Pakistan’s energy crisis. Workers and unions are demanding safe jobs, fair prices and public accountability. The government must stop pushing IMF-driven policies that burden ordinary people and instead invest in public utilities, worker safety, and affordable electricity for all.”