Published on: 2026-05-22
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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On Thursday InternationalCThe UN court in The Hague issued a historic advisory opinion, confirming that workers and trade unions have the right to strike in accordance with the main international treaty in the field of labor law. It is expected that this decision will strengthen the position of workers in labor disputes.
Fourteen judges – by a vote of 10 against 4 – ruled that the right to strike is inextricably linked to the right to freedom of association, which is guaranteedConvention No. 87 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which was ratified by 158 countries.
The court began considering this case in October 2025 – at the request of the ILO. Convention 87 – a key global treaty in the field of labor law – was adopted in 1948. Despite its fundamental significance, states still disagree on the question: whether the convention applies to the right to strike.
The MOT Administrative Council recognized as early as November 2023 that there were “serious disagreements” among the organization’s members, and sent a request to the Court.
Although the Advisory Opinions of the Court do not have binding force, they exert a significant influence on the development of international law and the practice of states. Since 1946, the Court has issued about 30 such opinions. The most recent of them concerned the obligations of states in combating climate change.
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