FOR the fifth straight year, the Philippines remains among the top 10 worst countries for working people based on the 2021 International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index.
The Philippines was included due to killings, arrests, violations of right to establish and join a trade union, among others.
The 10 worst countries for working people in 2021 are Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, Myanmar, the Philippines, Turkey, and Zimbabwe, according to the ITUC report.
Of these, only Belarus and Myanmar are new compared to the 2020 list.
The Philippines has been on the list since 2017, which is also the first full year of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Aside from being on the top 10 list, the report also said the Philippines is one of the six nations where trade unionists were murdered.
The six countries are Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Myanmar, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
In a statement, ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said the report showed how the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) worsened the abuses already being experienced by workers from governments and employers.
"The Global Rights Index exposes a shameful roll call of governments and companies that have pursued an anti-union agenda in the face of workers, who have stood on the frontline providing essential work to keep economies and communities functioning," said Burrow.
"Governments and employers exploited the pandemic to exploit the people the world depends on by increasing surveillance, breaking agreements, laying off workers, blocking and intimidating unions, and resorting to violence and murder," she added.
Burrow said 87 percent of countries violated the right to strike while 79 percent violated the right to collectively bargain.
The study also showed that 74 percent of countries excluded workers from the right to establish and join a trade union.
Workers were reportedly exposed to violence in 45 countries and experienced arbitrary arrests and detention in 68 countries. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)