UN court: Right to strike protected by 1948 ILO convention

Three years ago, the ICJ was asked by the UN agency, the International Labour Organization (ILO), whether a fundamental ILO convention also includes the right to strike.

The court “is of the opinion that the right to strike of workers and their organizations is protected” under the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize of 1948, Chief Judge Yuji Iwasawa announced on Thursday.

The opinion is not legally binding, but is expected to have a major impact nonetheless. The convention has been ratified by 158 countries and often serves as a benchmark in international labour law.