Topic:
Country: France
Delegate Name: Michael Stefanovski
France
International Labour Organization
February, 2024
Right to Organize
France recognizes its people’s right to organize. The right to organize and collectively bargain has been established in the UN since 1949 and France has signed on all fundamental conventions including those involving the right to organize.
Some of the greatest threats to the right to organize are pulling company benefits or incentivizing with greater benefits, prohibiting employees from conversing about the union, and slightly conveying that supporting a union would be futile. Section 8(a)(1) of the National Labor Relations act makes all of these unfair labor practices for an employer to use.
The leading goals that most unions are striving for is equality in the workplace, good benefits, retirement security, a safe workplace, and a fair salary. All of these requests are fair and reasonable, businesses that can afford it should come to terms with these requests and welcome the union. This will not only solve the problems of the unionizers but also help the employees build greater confidence in the company because that company is making an effort to change. To make sure this happens, strict laws should be put into place to ensure that terms are being negotiated and met between employers and unions, rather than businesses being able to use loopholes and threats to discourage unions.
If there are national policies imposed to protect the citizens’ right to organize, the abuse of unfair tactics to discourage unions will take a steep decline. Reprimanding businesses that are found to be influencing unions unfairly shows that the toleration of union interference is coming to an end. I hope that we can all come to an understanding to put the violations of the human right to organize to an end. France is eager to be on the committee with you where we can debate and come to an understanding on this topic.
