Labour day celebrates the achievements and contributions of workers.
It marks the day in 1856 on which an 8-hour system was agreed for labourers in Melbourne – 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation and 8 hours of rest. Because of its historical significance in the struggle for human rights, May Day is an important occasion on which to raise the issue of labour rights.
Labour Rights are Migrant Rights
According to the United Nations declaration of Human Rights ALL people have:
- the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
- the right to equal pay for equal work.
- the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
- the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
- the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
- The BCHR urges the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions to reach out to migrant workers in the country and build a movement of workers’ solidarity in order to ensure all workers’ rights are respected.
- We call on foreign embassies with migrant worker communities in Bahrain to educate their citizens about their human rights and rights within the legal system of Bahrain.
Labour day celebrates the achievements and contributions of workers.
It marks the day in 1856 on which an 8-hour system was agreed for labourers in Melbourne – 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation and 8 hours of rest. Because of its historical significance in the struggle for human rights, May Day is an important occasion on which to raise the issue of labour rights.
Labour Rights are Migrant Rights
According to the United Nations declaration of Human Rights ALL people have:
Migrant workers in Bahrain continue to play an invaluable role in the development of the country’s infrastructure and economy. Unfortunately, in spite of their position as a crucial labour force in the country they play no role in the local trade union movement.
On the occasion of International Labour Day, the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights calls for solidarity between Bahraini and migrant workers. “A divided labour force is a weak labour force, with little power to bargain for its rights,” BCHR vice president Nabeel Rajab said. “In order for Bahraini workers to secure satisfying working conditions for themselves, they must be fighting for satisfying working conditions for migrant workers too,” he added.
“And if migrant workers are to ensure humane conditions for themselves they must join with local workers in the struggle to ensure humane conditions for all workers. “Instead of seeing each other as competitors, local and migrant workers should work in solidarity towards the improvement of conditions for ALL workers – because labour rights are migrant rights, and migrant rights are labour rights.”