The Trades Union Congress (TUC) Ghana has welcomed the landmark advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirming that workers’ right to strike is pr
The report indicates that the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Ghana has welcomed the landmark advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirming that workers’ right to strike is protected under international labour conventions.
It further notes that in a statement issued on May 21, 2026, the TUC described the ruling as a historic victory for workers and trade unions across the world, saying the decision strengthens the global labour movement’s long-standing position that the right to strike is inseparable from freedom of association and collective bargaining.
The advisory opinion affirmed that workers and their organisations are protected under the International Labour Organisation’s Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (Convention No. 87).
According to the TUC, the ruling sends a powerful signal to governments, employers and institutions that workers’ collective action remains central to fairness, dignity and equality within the workplace.
The TUC emphasised that the right to strike should not be treated as a privilege granted at the discretion of governments or employers but rather as a fundamental democratic and labour right.
“This historic decision is a resounding affirmation that the right to strike is not a privilege to be granted at will, but a fundamental workers’ right and an essential pillar of democracy, social justice and decent work,” the statement said.
The labour body added that the ruling represented a defining moment in the evolution of international labour rights and would reinforce decades of advocacy by trade unions globally.
It noted that the opinion further affirmed that freedom of association and collective bargaining could not be fully realised without effective legal protection for workers to embark on industrial action.
The TUC also commended the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and its legal team for what it described as a principled and courageous defence of workers’ rights before the world court.
According to the statement, the intervention by the ITUC reaffirmed the position of the global labour movement that workers must retain the legal right to organise and strike in defence of their welfare and working conditions.
The TUC paid special tribute to Mr Paapa Danquah, Director of Legal Affairs at the ITUC and former Director of Legal Affairs of the TUC Ghana, for his role in the legal proceedings.
“We are particularly proud of Mr Paapa Danquah… for his outstanding contribution and compelling advocacy before the Court on behalf of workers across the world,” the statement added.
Labour experts say the ICJ advisory opinion is likely to influence labour legislation, industrial relations policies and court decisions in several countries, particularly where governments have sought to place restrictions on strike actions by organised labour.
Although advisory opinions of the ICJ are not directly binding in the same way as judgments between states, they carry considerable legal and moral authority within international law and multilateral institutions.
