Report on Organising for Decent Jobs – Formalising Informal Work

The power of workers’ organising to fight the desperation of the informal sector is revealed in a new report published by Equal Times with case studies from 17 countries documenting union action to formalise informal jobs. The report outlines the success of union organising to transform the lives of waste recycling workers in Brazil, moto-taxi drivers in Rwanda, domestic workers in Belgium and Lebanon, street vendors in Ghana, artists in Uruguay and workers from many other sectors in many other countries.  The work of the Indian Self-Employed Women’s Association SEWA is highlighted in a country where 92 per cent of the economy is informal, while in the USA, worker-focused alternatives to the so-called “gig” economy, where internet platforms are being used by businesses to break down the employment relationship, are examined.

• Pages 26-33 Asia-Pacific: Tackling the informal economy (India, Philippines)
• Pages 34-44 Europe: Informal work in a European context (Belgium, UK, Kyrgyzstan and Bulgaria)
• Page 54 Conclusion: Towards decent work for all

A common strand through the report is the use of an international instrument, ILO Recommendation 204, which sets out how countries should formalise informal economic activity. Link here.