ICJ: Right to Strike
Topic Synopsis
Is the right to strike protected under international law? If so, to what extent? These are the questions posed to Judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague and at JackrabbitMUN VII. For more than a decade, there has been disagreement on whether or not the right to strike is guaranteed under the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87, an argument that has implications for labor conditions, supply chains, and collective bargaining. This case seeks legal arbitration to end this decade-plus of dysfunction that has plagued the ILO and restore the organization to its usual function. Without an effective ILO, there is no way for countries that restrict worker organizing or stifle employer agency to face international consequences. In response to walkouts and unprecedented legal action, Judges in this committee will interpret international law to form an advisory opinion deciding if “workplace democracy” will be preserved and how labor law standards will be applied. It is up to the honorable Judges to determine the future of workers’ rights across the globe.