Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 23: ???Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment???
International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
Article 6: ???States Parties... recognize the right to work??? the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses??? to??? just??? conditions of work??? fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value without distinction of any kind??? a decent living??? safe and healthy working conditions??????
Article 7: "States Parties... recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which ensure, in particular...Remuneration which provides all workers, as a minimum, with... Fair wages and... equal pay for equal work... A decent living for themselves and their families... Safe and healthy working conditions... Equal opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his employment to an appropriate higher level, subject to no considerations other than those of seniority and competence... Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public holidays."
Article 8: "The States Parties... undertake to ensure (a) The right of everyone to form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice, subject only to the rules of the organization concerned, for the promotion and protection of his economic and social interests... The right of trade unions to establish national federations or confederations and the right of the latter to form or join international trade-union organizations; ?? The right of trade unions to function freely subject to no limitations other than those prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public order or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others; (d) The right to strike, provided that it is exercised in conformity with the laws of the particular country."
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Article 8: "(a) No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour;...?? For the purpose of this paragraph the term "forced or compulsory labour" shall not include: (i) Any work or service, not referred to in subparagraph (b), normally required of a person who is under detention in consequence of a lawful order of a court, or of a person during conditional release from such detention; (ii) Any service of a military character and, in countries where conscientious objection is recognized, any national service required by law of conscientious objectors; (iii) Any service exacted in cases of emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community;(iv) Any work or service which forms part of normal civil obligations."
Article 22: "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests."
Charter of the Organization of American States
Article 45: ???Work is a right and a social duty, it gives dignity to the one who performs it, and it should be performed under conditions, including a system of fair wages, that ensure life, health, and a decent standard of living for the worker and his family, both during his working years and in his old age, or when any circumstance deprives him of the possibility of working??? Employers and workers, both rural and urban, have the right to associate themselves freely for the defense and promotion of their interests, including the right to collective bargaining and the workers' right to strike, and recognition of the juridical personality of associations and the protection of their freedom and independence, all in accordance with applicable laws???
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 32: "1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development... States Parties shall in particular: (a) Provide for a minimum age or minimum ages for admission to employment;(b) Provide for appropriate regulation of the hours and conditions of employment; ?? Provide for appropriate penalties or other sanctions to ensure the effective enforcement of the present article.???
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Article 11: ???States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same rights, in particular???the right to the same employment opportunities??????
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Article 5: ???States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination??? and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law??? in the enjoyment of??? the right to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work, to protection against unemployment, to equal pay for equal work, to just and favourable remuneration??????
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 'Protocol of San Salvador'
Article 6: "1. Everyone has the right to work, which includes the opportunity to secure the means for living a dignified and decent existence by performing a freely elected or accepted lawful activity"
Article 7: The right to work... presupposes that everyone shall enjoy that right under just, equitable, and satisfactory conditions, which the States Parties undertake to guarantee in their internal legislation, particularly with respect to: a. Remuneration which guarantees... to all workers dignified and decent living conditions... b. The right of every worker to follow his vocation... c. The right of every worker to promotion or upward mobility in his employment... d. Stability of employment... e. Safety and hygiene at work; f. The prohibition of night work or unhealthy or dangerous working conditions and, in general, of all work which jeopardizes health, safety, or morals, for persons under 18 years of age... g. A reasonable limitation of working hours, both daily and weekly. The days shall be shorter in the case of dangerous or unhealthy work or of night work; h. Rest, leisure and paid vacations as well as remuneration for national holidays."
Article 8: "1. The States Parties shall ensure: The right of workers to organize trade unions and to join the union of their choice for the purpose of protecting and promoting their interests... The right to strike.... No one may be compelled to belong to a trade union."
Copenhagen Declaration
Commitment 3: ???We commit ourselves to promoting??? full employment as a??? priority of??? economic and social policies, and to enabling all men and women to attain secure and sustainable livelihoods??? We will??? put??? creation of employment??? reduction of unemployment and??? promotion of??? adequately remunerated employment at the centre of strategies and policies of Governments, with full respect for workers??? rights??????
ILO Conventions:
Forced Labour Convention (C29)
Equal Remuneration Convention (C100)
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (C105)
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (C111)
Employment Policy Convention (C122)
Collective Bargaining Convention (C154)
Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155)
Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention (C168)