TUC hails ICJ ruling affirming right to strike

A new advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice has been welcomed by the Trades Union Congress Ghana as a turning point for workers’ rights worldwide.

The ICJ, in a ruling delivered on May 21, 2026, held that the right of workers and their organisations to strike is protected under international labour law.

The decision interprets the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948, also known as ILO Convention No. 87, as including the right to strike.

For the TUC, the ruling settles a long-running debate over whether industrial action is merely a tolerated practice or a legally protected right.

In its statement, the union said the opinion makes clear that strike action is a core labour right, not a privilege granted at the discretion of governments or employers.

The TUC said the decision also strengthens the broader framework of collective bargaining, freedom of association and workplace democracy.

It described the outcome as a major boost for social justice, decent work and the ability of workers to act together in defence of their interests.

The union also paid tribute to the International Trade Union Confederation and its legal team for their work before the court.

It particularly recognised Paapa Danquah, the ITUC Director of Legal Affairs and former Legal Director of TUC Ghana, who led the legal arguments in the case.

According to the TUC, the ruling will deepen its resolve to defend trade union freedoms both in Ghana and internationally.

The advisory opinion was requested by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization following years of disagreement among governments, employers and workers’ groups over the scope of Convention No. 87.

By a majority decision, the ICJ affirmed that the convention protects the right to strike.