Global Rights Index 2014 - United States of America
| Publisher | International Trade Union Confederation |
| Publication Date | 19 May 2014 |
| Cite as | International Trade Union Confederation, Global Rights Index 2014 - United States of America, 19 May 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53bcf979f.html [accessed 3 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Country Rating: 4
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Systematic violation of rights
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Workers in countries with the rating of 4 have reported systematic violations. The government and/or companies are engaged in serious efforts to crush the collective voice of workers, putting fundamental rights under continuous threat.
The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) pointed at the exclusion of certain categories of workers from collective bargaining. For example, in Michigan graduate assistants, child care workers and home health care workers are excluded from the right to collective bargaining.
The dissemination of information within workplaces remains a serious problem. Moreover, the AFL-CIO reports numerous and recurrent cases of discrimination against union members resulting in 1,200 cases of illegal dismissals in 2012. This trend has not changed. For example, when workers at Cablevision started to join unions in April 2013, management started to undermine these efforts by offering a substantial pay raise to all workers but those joining Communication Workers of America (CWA).
Strategies used to prevent union formation include individual meetings where workers are threatened with discriminatory measures and the surveillance of workers who are suspected to engaging in union activities.
On 12 February 2014, Senator Bob Corker intimidated workers who wanted to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Senator Bo Watson warned that the formation of the union could lead to end to state funding to Volkswagen. The UAW filed a complaint with the National Labour Relations Board.
Collective bargaining is further weakened by the fact that access to financial reports of companies is almost impossible as employers can avoid responding to requests by invoking their interests for competitiveness.
