Despite talk of a recovery, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that unemployment will rise by 59 million by the end of the year and over 200 million workers could be pushed into extreme poverty, mostly in developing and emerging countries where there are few or no social safety nets. 
 
This demand was presented to representatives from seven regional and international institutions and is supported by 15 high level political and institutional representatives, 120 organisations representing over 28 million workers, as well as 45,000 individuals from Finland to Liberia, New Zealand to the United States of America (To watch the video click here).
 
“What we’re worried about is that the crisis is being used as an excuse to reduce payments for social services, pensions and other vital services. If we take the case of Latvia for example, we see a 40% decrease in wages in the education sector and a 10% reduction to pensions; these cuts are simply not sustainable”, said John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.
 
“This World Day is a timely reminder that the goal is not merely the creation of jobs, but the creation of quality jobs. The recovery must be built on more solid foundations, with the creation of decent jobs as the basis of sustainable development and growth”, added Guy Ryder, Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation.
 
“Some people I talk with still believe that all jobs in industrialised countries are decent jobs, this is simply not true; and yet in many industrialised countries, the decent work agenda is considered obsolete. There are still challenges to overcome discrimination against women and migrant workers. More and better jobs in industrialised countries are needed to ensure training, basic security and rights for all workers”, said Jan Renders, President of World Solidarity.
 

“Neoliberal political elites have been at the forefront of advocating the types of policies that have resulted in the social and economic destruction we see today. Our call is not for any sort of recovery. Our call is for a Global New Deal putting sustainable development and decent work at the heart of the new policies within a reformed system based on sound regulation of all financial instruments and players as well as transparency, predictability and fair representation”, added Javier Moreno, Secretary General of the Global Progressive Forum.
 
“At the moment, all over Europe, youth unemployment is twice as high as general unemployment and 40% of young people work on temporary work contracts. We need to change this! We cannot allow this crisis to be used as an excuse to slow down social progress and decent work. We need legislation to ensure decent pay and working conditions in all forms of employment, whether temporary, on call or internships”, said Janna Besamusca, Secretary General of ECOSY, on behalf of the Global Progressive Youth Forum.
 
“The Call to Action for Decent Work demonstrates that decent work is a global demand calling for a return to people-centered policies, policies which need to be implemented urgently if we are to cope with the global challenges of poverty and climate change, and if we are to restore people’s faith in democracy and accountability”, summed up Josef Weidenholzer, President of SOLIDAR.
 
Know more
 
The Decent Work Alliance, led by the  the Global Progressive Forum, the Global Progressive Youth Forum, International Trade Union Confederation, World Solidarity/Social Alert International, the European Trade Union Confederation and SOLIDAR, is carrying out a global campaign which aims to: (1) Build awareness of Decent Work amongst citizens, decision makers and key institutions; (2) Place Decent Work at the core of development, economic, trade, financial and social policies at the national, regional and international level. The Call to Action for Decent Work is an international petition supporting the campaign, launched in 2007.
 
On the 7 October, the list of signatories of the Call to Action for Decent Work was handed over to:
 

·         European Parliament, Brussels
·         Asia Development Bank, Manila
·         African Union, Addis Abeba
·         Organisation of American States, Buenos Aires
·         IMF/World Bank, Istanbul
·         World Trade Organisation, Geneva
 
 

In occasion of the Brussels activities the signatures were handed over to Vice President of the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, by a Decent Work Alliance delegation chiared by Javier Moreno, GPF Secretary General.
 
Members of the European Parliament and representatives from civil society organisations tested their knowledge on what makes work decent and on the path to the ultimate goal of having a decent life in the framework of an ad hoc Decent Work Game. MEPs Kader Arif (S&D); Pervenche Berès (S&D); Alejandro Cercas (S&D); and Jörg Leichtfried (S&D) pitted their wits against representatives from NGOs in the game.