COVID-19: A Time for Businesses to Act Responsibly
in Ensuring Justice for Migrant Workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted millions of
migrant workers in destination countries, many of whom
have faced job loss or non-payment of wages, been forced to
take unpaid leave or accept reduced wages, or been confined
in poor living conditions, and with little or no choice in the
work options before them.
On June 1st and July 9th, 2020 a large coalition of civil society
organizations and trade unions launched two urgent calls for
a justice mechanism to address the situation of migrant
workers who have been repatriated without being given an
opportunity to lodge a claim for their due wages and other
benefits.
The appeals call on governments and UN agencies to take
immediate action to establish
a transitional justice
mechanism addressing wage-related grievances, claims and
labor disputes of repatriated workers who have lost their jobs
or who have been sent on forced unpaid leave as a result of
the pandemic.