Precarious work and the exercise of freedom of association and collective bargaining: current ILO jurisprudence created by Beatriz Vacotto

The impact of precarious forms of employment on workers’ access to freedom of association and collective bargaining rights is currently one of the main concerns of the trade union movement around the world. It is argued that these forms of employment are increasingly used by employers, both in the private and public sectors, to undermine the right to organize and eliminate or weaken the right to collective bargaining as well as to deprive workers of labour protection. This article focuses on precariousness arising mainly from the “contractual arrangements under which the work is performed including stand-by, temporary, employment-agency, casual, part-time, and seasonal contracts, pseudo self-employment, no direct or an unclear employer/employee relationship”.