Trade union and social rights as a part of human rights

Abstract

Human rights are the inalienable rights of all people, irreplaceable and inviolable. Second-generation human rights-political, social and cultural-guarantee a right to work, to organise in trade unions, to social security and to enjoy property. With their assistance, employees can assert their collective and social rights. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was adopted in 1966 and our country has ratified it twice. The influence that politics has on social and trade union rights cannot be neglected, while social and economic rights are interdependent with the political will of the country. The Republic of Serbia has passed legal norms which satisfy international standards but, unfortunately, it does not have the capacity to apply these laws adequately. Remembering that almost all rights of citizens are asserted with the help of strong trade unions and also that, with the creation of such conditions in Serbia, we send a clear picture that Serbia is mature and ready for the international community, this article reviews the current state of these processes.