Human Rights Law

Are efforts to protect workers' rights compatible with the forces of globalization? How can minimum standards designed to protect labour rights be implemented in a world in which national labour law is more and more at the mercy of international forces beyond its control? The chapters in this volume argue that international agreements and institutions are of central importance if labour rights are to be protected in a globalized economy. This book explores some of the options that are open to governments, civil society, and the labour movement in the years ahead.

The right to strike in Britain is one of the most important, albeit neglected, issues of modern labour law. It is also one of the most controversial, particularly since the dismissal of 5,500 workers at Wapping, which led not only to calls for law reform (and with it a greater degree of positive state intervention in industrial relations) but also to condemnation of the British government by the ILO. This book concentrates on the hitherto neglected issue of the liability of union members and their families. It examines the effect of strikes and other industrial action on the contract of employment, the question of the payment of wages to those engaged in industrial action, and the social security implications of unemployment caused by trade disputes. The study also examines the position of striking workers under international law (focusing on the ILO and European Social Charter) and concludes by offering proposals for law reform.