Uruguay: Child labour and forced labour

New ICFTU report: insufficient measures against child labour and forced labour in Uruguay

Brussels (ICFTU Online): The ICFTU has just published a new report on respect for core labour standards in Uruguay. The document, published to coincide with the WTO review of the country this week, criticises the persistent irregularities in the application and implementation of labour standards. The ICFTU report places particular emphasis on the discrimination against trade unionists, gender inequality, child labour and forced labour.

It points out that whilst the principle of trade union rights is respected in the country, the problem of anti-union discrimination is still very real. The right to strike, a crucial and legitimate means of pressure available to workers, is often denied, for example.

The document published today by the ICFTU highlights the issue of inequality. Although equality is enshrined in the laws of Uruguay, most of the women on the labour market are only able to find low-paid jobs.

Another form of discrimination brought to light in the report is that faced by the African-Uruguayan minority, who are confronted with the worst difficulties in finding quality employment with decent pay.

"Furthermore," said Guy Ryder, ICFTU general secretary, "the measures taken by the country's authorities to tackle child labour are clearly not sufficient enough to expect any improvement in the area." The report urges the Uruguayan government to improve the action taken against child labour as well as against forced labour, which still exists today.

To read the full report:

http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991223781&Language=EN

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