Global Union Leaders Push Employee Free Choice as Boost to World Economy

Global union leaders are calling for a new "global social deal" that gives unions a seat at the table and puts in place a real social safety net for workers in this time of worldwide economic and employment challenge.

A critical step is passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, said Philip Jennings, general secretary of Union Network International. "I am urging business and government leaders to support the Free Choice Act for American workers and to lobby their U.S. colleagues to support it as well. "This is not only the right thing to do from a human rights and fairness perspective, but also from a business perspective." 

Jennings spoke about the global employment challenge at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He noted that the International Labor Organization recently reported that 50 million jobs worldwide could be lost this year.

Financial recovery plans have focused on bailouts to banks with little consideration for the millions of workers losing their jobs, their homes and their and their economic security, he said.