The LRS views ILO Convention 190 (C190) and Recommendation 206 as powerful lenses for exposing and transforming the power structures that make workplaces unsafe, particularly for women and marginalised workers. In 2024, we partnered with Public Services International (PSI) to create the Practical Guide for Implementing ILO Convention 190 in Public Sector Workplaces.
Public sector workers are among the most highly unionised in the world. Their unions have the power and the responsibility to help build safe and inclusive workplaces. Whether or not a government has ratified C190, workers have the right to expect a world of work free from violence and harassment.
Why C190 matters for unions
According to Article 4 of C190, unions must be joint architects of change and collaborate with employers to develop inclusive, integrated, and gender-responsive approaches to prevent and end violence. Article 12 reinforces that C190 can be implemented through collective bargaining agreements and by extending existing occupational health and safety (OHS) measures to include violence and harassment, including gender-based violence (GBV), as workplace hazards.
"For years, we have been trying to bring gender issues into collective bargaining with mixed results. Often, they are not prioritised. If we approach it from an OHS angle, we are more likely to have better results. The guide helps us integrate C190 into familiar frameworks."
Aisha commends the advocacy work of unions in pushing for C190 ratification and their involvement in developing the Code of Conduct. However, implementation at the workplace level remains a challenge.
Using collective bargaining and OHS as C190 entry points
PSI facilitated workshops with affiliates to explore practical ways to apply C190 in their workplaces.
"We discovered very little knowledge about the Code of Conduct and little implementation of it. So this was about finding familiar ways, through OHS and collective bargaining, to make C190 a reality in the public sector. The guide provided the basis for this discussion."
The guide is for union leaders who are already familiar with C190. It builds union confidence, offers language and strategic direction, and supports gender, safety, and inclusion demands through the lens of occupational health and safety.
Addressing domestic violence at work
Unions need to create an explicit link between domestic violence and the workplace. Image credit: PSI C190 Guide
The guide also makes links to the realities workers face at home. It addresses the often-overlooked connection between domestic violence and the workplace, which is missing from many policies and union strategies. In South Africa, where GBV rates are among the highest in the world, many women face daily struggles to keep their jobs while living in unsafe homes.
"We can’t isolate the workplace from the home. For women, economic freedom is tied to the ability to support themselves. Leaving an abusive relationship can be difficult, as money often serves as a form of control. Women facing domestic violence struggle to maintain jobs and require a different kind of support. We are only beginning to learn how unions can provide this support. The guide covers this issue. There needs to be a stronger role for trade unions in addressing domestic violence."
A world of work without violence and harassment
The PSI guide reflects a feminist vision of a world of work where all workers, regardless of gender, status or background, are safe, valued, and heard. LRS draws from its extensive experience helping unions develop strategies and apply laws, conventions, toolkits, and guides to create safe workplaces.
We have supported unions in the domestic work, public health, education, garment factory and clothing retail, and transport sectors, and a community, to experiment with different approaches to preventing and ending GBVH in their workplaces. We connect union and community activists, LGBTQ+ workers, and young LGBTQ+ job seekers to tools like C190, labour laws, toolkits and guides from global unions.
The PSI will roll out an Arabic version of the guide for its affiliates in the MENA region.
📘 Practical Guide for Implementing ILO Convention 190 in Public Sector Workplaces
RELATED RESOURCES
- Taking Action on Violence and Harassment against LGBTQI+ Workers (Facilitator Guide)
- Taking Action on Violence and Harassment against LGBTQI+ Workers (Participant Handbook)
- ITF Toolkit for Unions on LGBT+ Issues
- Workplace rights belong to everyone: Negotiating for inclusivity and against discrimination
