A grim new report into millions of jobs worldwide has found that even “stable” countries are sliding backwards at an alarming rate when it comes to workers' rights. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) released its annual rights index for 2026 on Monday, revealing that repression of workers’ rights has deepened around the globe.
The ITUC said 72 per cent of the 151 countries surveyed denied workers access to justice, with authorities in about 50 per cent of countries arresting or detaining workers last year. “The crisis for workers’ rights is no longer confined to the margins — it is now at the heart of democracies,” said ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle in a statement.
Key Findings of the 2026 ITUC Rights Index
The report found that the right to strike was violated in 87 per cent of countries, the same level as in the previous two years, while the right to collective bargaining was restricted in 80 per cent of nations. The United States was placed on the ITUC watch list with a rating of four for “systemic violations of rights”. France’s rating fell to three from two, despite the country’s historically robust union presence.
Argentina and Panama were added to the list of the 10 worst countries for workers’ rights, joining Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Turkey. “Europe and the Americas record their worst average ratings since the index began in 2014,” the report said, noting an increased use of digital surveillance to monitor and intimidate employees.
Systemic Violations and a ‘Billionaire Coup’
The ITUC denounced what it called a “billionaire coup” with the support of far-right and authoritarian leaders to roll back rights in order to maximise profits. It said fewer countries were consulting with labour organisations before enacting new labour laws. “Governments are failing to protect working people, and in many cases are actively undermining them,” Triangle said, resulting in “a co-ordinated attack on democracy”.
The ITUC has compiled its annual index since 2014, ranking 151 countries on dozens of criteria based on International Labour Organisation conventions. The report underscores a troubling trend: even nations with strong democratic traditions are experiencing erosion of labour protections, signalling a global crisis for workers' rights.
