GLOBAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM, LABOUR AND THE RIGHT TO WORK: A case study of Meadows Flower PLC in Hollata town of Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia has acceded to too many global conventions and proclamations or treaties confirming the rights to work. However, after years of ratifying different international conventions regarding human rights, the state is still facing difficulty on the practical implementation of its commitments to protect, respect and fulfill workers’ rights. This paper provides a brief overview of what the international human rights instruments mention about the rights to work, and compare these international conventions with Ethiopia’s labor proclamation No 377/2003. The study is conducted in Meadows Flower PLC, which is found in the Oromia region of Ethiopia in Hollata town. The thesis also analyzes the major problems that workers in Meadows Flower PLC currently face from human rights perspective. The thesis has concluded that Ethiopia is a signatory state of the ICESCR’s conventions, and ILO’s labour declaration regarding the rights to work. Besides, the country’s labor proclamation is largely in conformity with these major international labour conventions and declarations. However, in spite of the fact that the country has progressive labour laws, the gap between theory and practice is very wide. Because of this fact, the state as a primary duty bearer has failed to fulfill its obligation to protect and fulfill workers’ rights. However, the state is able to meet its obligation to respect the rights to work principle, at least in theory, as it has set in place legal and procedural mechanisms to protect workers’ rights.