Workers’ rights are in free fall across the world, according to the ITUC Global Rights Index 2025, with Europe and the Americas recording their worst scores since the Index began in 2014.
The Index reveals a deeply concerning trend: workers around the world are facing rising violence, increased arrests, shrinking civic space, and increasing limits on their fundamental rights, from freedom of speech to freedom of assembly. The Index reflects not just a decline in labour protections but also mirrors a broader global pattern of weakening rights and democratic standards.
According to the findings, three out of five global regions experienced worsening conditions for workers. The Americas scored 3.68 and Europe 2.78, their worst results to date. Europe, in particular, has seen the most dramatic decline, falling from 1.84 in 2014, the largest deterioration recorded in any region over the past decade.
The report identifies Türkiye among the ten worst countries in the world for workers, highlighting increasing levels of repression.
The clash between workers’ rights and broader civil liberties is becoming more visible every year visible. This reality becomes evident in the growing trend of civil society organisations being labelled as foreign agents or even terrorist entities across the West, the rise in police brutality, and the adoption of repressive policies that limit citizens’ freedom to voice discontent. The so-called European “safe haven” is showing signs of erosion. Europe needs a renewed commitment to human rights and democratic values.
Other key findings include:
- 87% of countries violated the right to strike.
- 80% violated the right to collective bargaining.
- 72% of countries restricted workers’ access to justice—the worst figure recorded so far.
- 45% of countries restricted freedom of speech and assembly.
Even countries like Italy and Georgia saw worsening scores, pointing to a broader erosion of democratic and labour rights across the continent.
Governments and employers must act to reverse this trajectory, and not allow basic rights to be violated for profit.
The decline in workers’ rights is also a decline in democracy across Europe.