Brussels, 20/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is calling for the setting up of an investigative committee on infringements of ILO Convention 111 banning discrimination at work in Bahrain (which has ratified the Convention). This follows manifold attacks on the trade union movement in Bahrain and the laying off of thousands for workers for taking part in trade union activity in support of peaceful calls for greater democracy and reform in the country. On an official visit to Bahrain, ITUC Deputy Secretary General Jaap Wienen called for a wide package of international measures to be introduced to back the fundamental rights of workers in the Gulf state and in this connection the ITUC has launched a campaign entitled “Bahrain - Stop attacks on the trade union movement! Act now!” (see http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?=900 ).
The ITUC represents 175 million male and female workers in 305 member organisations in 151 countries and territories around the world. See http://www.ituc-csi.org (G.B./transl.fl)