Globally, governmental and non-governmental organizations have employed numerous workers. According to statistics, almost 63.5 percent of the population consists of employed individuals who perform allocated tasks by their employees. Workers put all their efforts into a daily routine to ensure that the companies achieve their set objectives. However, a significant dilemma arises when studies show that most employees suffer depression, distress, and anxiety due to poor conditions in the workplace. Besides, numerous cases of workers striking as they express their demand for better working conditions, workplace discrimination, better wages, and equality from the middle ages. Also, gender and racial differences are a central challenge in the workplace. According to the authors, many female workers have experienced harassment based on race and gender. The gap between men and women has fueled multiple violations of workers’ rights. For instance: differences in seniority and gap wage that women experience (Six faces of labor internationalism, 2018). Additionally, there has been a substantial racial gap in organizations, resulting in huge disparities between white workers and workers of color. Contrary to gender biases, the racial gap is driven by different explainable and unexplainable factors.
As a repercussion of the violation of human rights, different individuals and members merged and formulated International Labor Organization agencies that primarily focus on solving all the issues affecting workers. Globally, the labor organization agencies are dedicated to ensuring improved living standards by bettering the working conditions of workers. Additionally, the labor organizations provide critical assistance in developing workforce administrative and social policies in industries (Wise, 2021). Also, the agencies conduct research on issues of unemployment and underemployment and aids in protecting the rights of organized labor and international migrants. Therefore, this paper will explore the promises of labor organizing and solidarity for international development. Also, it will discuss some of the potential barriers that may hinder the promises of labor organization and solidarity.
Discussion
Promises of Labor Solidarity
Solidarity occurs across economic and ideological barriers, going further than binary concepts of likeness and incongruence that define groups as pre-formed, fixed, or given. Solidarity is a revolutionary procedure that requires the construction, reconfiguration, and contestation of alliances (Datta, 2008). As a result, solidarity is viewed as temporary, spontaneous, and dynamic, developing in tandem with the restructuring of political values. This highlights political solidarity’s transformative potential, such as; the flexibility of political identities to negotiate concerning the social alternatives forged via political battles. Consequently, the political agency is regarded as art within specific solidarity territories.
Firstly, labor organizing and solidarity aim at eliminating the aspect of capitalism. Raul et al. (2021) contends that studying migration help in reducing the biased view of humans. This point of view provides a critical perspective as it tries to address the political economy and the issue of capitalism from a Marxist aspect. Marxist explains the social relation of work in distinct economic models and its association with exploitation and social inequalities due to sexism and racism. Marx states that “labor has been changed into a commodity for sale and takes the power of production from workers” (Fish, 2021). This has enabled labor organizations to unite against capitalism and pursue communism and socialism.
According to history, both women and men are viewed as equals. However, the rise of capitalism separated commodity production from households. This strengthened the control of men since they became economic dependents while women became housewives. Moreover, with international development implementing socialization and communism, women will be liberated from labor differences; hence they will be economically dependent. Additionally, Ral et al. (2021) state that is establishing.
Additionally, labor organizations seek to address the issue of international migration. There are high geographical and asymmetrical differences when it comes laborers population. Most developed countries tend to have a surplus of laborers; hence they would automatically require additional labor from immigrants. Therefore, the International Labor Organization not only addresses labor relations, but their solidarity allows them to eliminate the chances of extreme exploitation of workers and social exclusion (Dannecker & Piper, 2021). Similarly, worker’s organization promises to solve the issue whereby immigrants break the barrier of work segmentation based on race by eliminating the phenomenon whereby foreign workers take low-profile jobs.
Despite that, the organization seeks to ensure female empowerment in the workplace. Globally, women ate disadvantaged, and most continue to experience poverty and inequality (Burrowes, 2018). However, through ethical capitalism, international developmental labor organizations can turn around this situation and ensure that the female gender is considered in the work environment. Distinctly, ethical capitalism is an approach that is more concerned with giving societal benefits. According to Daily (2019), people need to embrace a language of universality, empowerment, and solidarity. The media and companies focus more on providing content that respects and exposes the feminine potential to the community. Real feminine empowerment surpassed the division of classes, gender, race, and ethnicity. Additionally, feminism is empowered since the authors urge institutions to organize their strictures and powers in an inclusive manner representing women of color.
Besides, labor organization and solidarity promise to ensure there are relevant foreign worker programs that meet laborers’ rights. In the current generation, the world is characterized by nativism, whereby people tend to reside in areas where they share racial or ethnic characteristics (Binford,2019). The most developed country they rely on labor from foreign workers. However, they do not need foreigners to be continually present in their countries, developing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TWFP). TWFB is a program that limits is a good strategy. It limits the rights of workers in foreign countries.
Furthermore, it ensures that individuals of diverse backgrounds think from the perspective of cosmopolitanism. Cosmopolitanism provides a platform that guides the morals and relationships between people of racial or gender differences. A cosmopolitan ethic of universal responsibilities and rights associated with faith in international laws provides a communitarian orientation. Similarly, cosmopolitanism emphasizes labor rights more because they are more pressing issues associated with wealth distribution.
Consequently, the solidarity seeks to address the problems associated with unfree labor. Unfree labor is also defined as forced labor and is characterized by exploitative practices such as human trafficking and slavery (Arat-Koç, 2016). Globally, numerous researchers have criticized or condemned the epidemiology of forced labor. Common features of forced labor include threats of violence, debt bondage, credit and contract manipulations, and overcharging workers’ services. In the United States, undocumented immigrants are usually victims of unfree labor.
Additionally, labor recruiters who participate in trafficking and smuggling are located worldwide. Therefore, international labor force laws have to be reshaped to eradicate the aspects of unfree labor (Arat-Koç, 2016). This can be achieved through embracing various political strategies to increase corporate profits through deepening workforce vulnerability. Besides, solidarity should ensure that business regulations are enacted to limit private companies from participating in forced labor.
Potential Barriers
Climate change is a significant concern that affects the solidarity of international labor organizations. Kavitta (2008) states that Global warming will increase the occurrence and intensity of floods, typhoons, and storms. Also, it will lead to long-term sea levels and desertification. Many locations, particularly coastlines, islands, and river valleys, are badly impacted by such variables, affecting people’s ability to work and live. Climate change and its consequences in many world regions are scientifically proven truths (kavitta, 2008). Immigration and climate change have a bidirectional link. Climate change and modern migration are inextricably linked; they are two mutually constitutive, with neoliberal capitalism as the driving force (Kouri-Towe, 2020). The direct impact of this barrier interferes with labor productivity as it limits workers working hours. The measures adopted to mitigate climate change pose a severe challenge to vulnerable groups, especially individuals of color and women.
Climate change’s repercussions and measures that discriminate against women in the workplace may aggravate the multitude of barriers and economic risks that characterize women’s inability to find adequate jobs. In comparison to males, most women are unlikely to be unemployed. Severe weather occurrences lead to loss of income and livelihoods and limit opportunities. This contributes to labor migration as an alternative to seeking a better life. Unrestrained migration has the potential to uncover racial employees, particularly women, to slave labor or other types of exploitation, particularly in private employment (Salamanca, 2017). For instance: many women from indigenous and tribal groups migrate to cities to find work in industries prone to labor rights breaching and insecure working conditions.
Another barrier that interferes with the laborer’s organization is poor infrastructure. According to researchers, several factors contribute to poor infrastructure: shortages of funds, inadequate resource development, and unskilled labor. Infrastructure impacts labor solidarity both directly and indirectly (Kothari, 2006). For instance, when the management committee makes poor choices due to unskilled personnel, it directly impacts the whole system. On the contrary, the lack of available resources to address the challenge of racial segregation and gender bias also acts as a significant obstacle. Moreover, channeling more financial investment can help organizations overcome the challenge of poor infrastructure. With a sufficient amount of investments, the organization can fund more projects that would facilitate the development of new infrastructure and raise the wages of workers.
On the contrary, policies act as obstacles to addressing gender and racial discrimination. Typically, policies refer to guidelines or regulations that guide decisions to attain a rational result. Either state typically adopts federal and local government policies and private and public companies (LeBaron & Phillips, 2018). Some of the policies are biased as they promote racism and sexism. Bias policies motivate and enhance inequality in countries. For instance: some countries, such as the US, have policies that deny immigrant laborers absolute human rights. Similarly, low-wage laborers s of color continues to suffer discrimination due to implementing policies (Limoncelli, 2017). Moreover, issues of bias policies can be resolved by enforcing national and organizational regulations that promote diversity and inclusion.
Also, political economies are another major dilemma that acts as an obstacle to solidarity. According to researchers, political economies are defined as the study of trade and production in association with customs, law, and government. Significant examples of political economies include capitalism, where private organizations are in charge of national industry and purposely trade for profits (Kempadoo, 2015). Also, there are socialism and communism, where the society and public share property equally. As much as the political economies are suitable for a nation’s performance, sometimes they may be biased, promoting racism and sexism. For instance, feminism is all about fighting for equality. However, people cannot achieve e that under capitalism. Capitalism exploits individuals as it describes an association where a person sells skills to an organization; hence they are exploited in poor working conditions and wages.
On the other hand, women with power are not disregarded and exploited. Capitalism is a way of distributing norm, organizing structures, priorities, and societal activities that evolves with space and time (Wise, 2021). Therefore, the government needs to create educational programs that make individuals aware of the weaknesses of capitalism so that they can easily combat the challenges promoted y the economy. Also, a poor political economy can be restored via political improvement, increasing capital, and ensuring that the economy grows. This provides a competitive layout environment where businesses have to offer the best benefits to secure particular skills from individuals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, labor organization has brought significant enlightenment to international development. It empowers individuals to be aware of the aspects of poor political economies such as capitalism that promotes racism and sexism. Additionally, it fosters a discrimination-free environment where women get equal chances and are motivated to work freely. Besides, laborers organizing promises to ensure that countries have better immigrant programs that promote all human rights. Through this aspect, it would e easier to erase and minimize the factors contributing to racism.
Furthermore, the organization seeks to solve and eliminate the issue of unfree labor where privately-owned companies exploit people of color and women. Even though giant steps are made by pursuing solidarity, some barriers or obstacles continue to undermine its efficacy. For instance: climate change is a significant issue that forces people to accept discrimination of all kinds since they have no option of getting a living. Consequently, poor infrastructure also contributes to the inefficacy of International development as it explores the barriers that limit growth both internally and externally. Lastly, policies and political economies promote labor inequality. Therefore, it is high time for individuals, society, and the government to look at various strategies such as enforcing fair laws, creating awareness, building infrastructure, and tackling climate change to minimize racism and sexism.
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