Why the right to strike matters

Updated May 2026 to reflect the ICJ advisory opinion.

The right to strike is an essential part of freedom of association and is protected under ILO Convention 87. Withholding labour is a crucial negotiating tool during the bargaining process, its main objective is to change the balance of power between workers and the employer.

Here are five key reasons why we need the right to strike:

1. Striking is a last resort but sometimes the only tool for workers to protect themselves.
2. To avoid being at the complete mercy of employers.
3. To give more of a balance between worker and employer power.
4. Without it, more and more governments will ban industrial action and punish people who dare to strike.
5. Most strikes are over pay and better working conditions. Without the threat of strike action, corporations will be able to make bigger profits, while working conditions will get worse.

The right to strike confirmed under international law

In a landmark ruling in May 2026, the International Court of Justice confirmed that the right to strike is protected under ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association. The advisory opinion, the result of more than a decade of campaigning by IndustriALL and fellow global unions, settles a long-running dispute with employer groups who had sought to strip the right to strike from Convention 87’s protections. While advisory opinions are not legally binding, they carry significant authority. With Convention 87 ratified by 158 countries and embedded in UN labour standards, OECD guidelines and international trade agreements, the ruling has far-reaching implications for workers worldwide.

Photo 1 : Jack Quillin – Los Angeles California 05 26 2023 Writers Guild of America Grève dans le centre de Los Angeles – Picket Signs
Photo 2: Ringo Chiu – People holding signs take part in a protest at the University of California Los Angeles campus Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 in Los Angeles.