May 22, 2026
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
Trade unions across Africa have hailed the ruling of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, affirming the right to strike under the International Labour Organisation’s Convention No. 87, describing the ruling as a historic victory for workers’ freedom, democracy and social justice.
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa, in a statement issued from Lomé, Togo, said the judgment of the world court has reinforced the legitimacy of strike action as a fundamental democratic right that cannot be denied or weakened.
The statement, signed by ITUC-Africa General Secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie, said the labour movement across Africa welcomed the court’s opinion because it affirmed what workers had defended for generations — that the right to strike is inseparable from freedom of association and trade unionism.
