Labor Rights Under Pressure in Georgia

Georgia, alongside other countries across Europe, is struggling to comply with its international legal obligations concerning rights for workers, according to the latest annual conclusions from the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR). Georgia ratified the Revised European Social Charter of 22/08/2005 and accepted 63 of the Revised Charter’s 98 paragraphs. Conclusions assessing the compliance of each country with the European Social Charter were published and we looked at how Georgia is doing.

Between 2014 and 2018, Georgia raised its conformity to European norms from 0% to 6%, and fundamental workers’ rights are still not respected. For example, the guaranteed right to public holidays with pay does not exist, nor does the respect of reasonable working hours per day and week. The right to equal pay for work of equal work is not conformed to and the right of free organization and independent trade unions is not established.

In total, when analysing all the countries concerned, the committee adopted 276 conclusions of conformity (47.6%) and 206 findings of violations (35.5%). Georgia is not alone in the struggle but showed particularly low results.

By Gabrielle Colchen

Photo Source: www.coe.int