Public Services International (PSI): Migrant Rights are Workers Rights

On the occasion of the UN-declared International Migrants’ Day, Public Services International (PSI) joins the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Global Unions, civil society and the international community in celebrating the human rights of all migrant workers and members of their families worldwide.

The 2009 recognition of International Migrants’ Day comes in the midst of one of the worst economic crises in history with rising unemployment and worsening economic factors driving workers to migrate across the globe in search of work. The ongoing migration of skilled workers reflects the failure of many rich countries to develop their own workforces, especially in critical
areas such as health and education, and has led them to resort to international recruitment to address staffing needs. At the same time, failed reforms and decreased spending in public services in both origin and destination countries has resulted in the departure of skilled workers to find other employment or to work abroad. “Quality public services are the foundation of decent work and the key to a decent life, giving people a real choice whether or not to migrate,” says Peter Waldorff, PSI General Secretary. “The fact is industrialised countries are draining the best skills from the rest of the world, especially from developing countries. This is a particularly critical situation for the seven million social and health care workers represented by PSI,” explains Waldorff. On International Migrants’ Day, PSI continues its campaign for the adoption of a World Health Organization (WHO) Code of Practice in the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. Since 2005 when it first launched its campaign, PSI and its affiliates have contributed to the development of the WHO Code of Practice as well as to the establishment of various regional and national Codes of Practice.

The entire labour movement is in one voice in calling for improved conditions and guaranteeing the human rights of migrant workers. PSI, together with the ITUC and the Global Unions, call on our affiliates and partners across the globe to organise migrant workers; to assist migrant workers through collective bargaining and representation; and to advocate and promote the rights of migrants in public policy debates.

“All workers, including migrants, deserve protection from exploitation. Concerned people should continue to promote the rights of all workers, organise women migrant health and social care workers into unions to protect their rights, lobby for increased spending for quality public services, and join the PSI Campaign for the Ethical Recruitment of Health Workers,” stressed Waldorff.

For more information see: www.world-psi.org/migration

Public Services International (PSI) is a global trade union federation that represents 20 million women and men working in the public services around the world. It has 693 affiliated unions in 156 countries and territories. PSI is an autonomous body, which works in association with federations covering other sectors of the workforce and with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). PSI is an officially recognised non-governmental organisation for the public sector within the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and has consultative status with ECOSOC and observer status with other bodies such as UNCTAD and the WTO.

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