On behalf of 30 million public service workers globally, PSI welcomes the Director-General's ILC report and its focus on how job creation has failed to match economic growth over two decades. 

The ILO’s own research conclusively shows that strong labour rights have a positive economic impact for workers and the wider economy. Yet these fundamental rights are under attack while workers' share of income remains stagnant. The Report points to an alarming surge in precarious work with millions trapped in informal work arrangements that lack basic protections and offer poverty-level wages. 

Now, as AI is rapidly transforming labor markets, and putting the livelihoods of millions at risk, companies are hoarding vast troves of worker and citizen data with little transparency or democratic oversight. Without stronger democratic control over AI development and data governance, inequalities will only deepen. 

Policymakers continue to allow corporate profits to be put ahead of our workers' wellbeing, labour rights, the environment and democracy itself. 

Working people see an economic system designed to work for a wealthy few – but that isn’t working for them. Cuts to public budgets have undermined trust in the ability of public institutions to address the issues workers face – on the job and across our lives.  Right-wing populists offer false promises and fuel division and hate. 

We deeply regret that public services do not receive a single mention in the Director General's report

The United Nations system and the very idea of a rules-based international order is under an unprecedented and ideological attack. There are those that would rejoice to see institutions such as the ILO slide into deadlock and irrelevancy. We must defend and promote the vital role of these institutions and the international civil servants who make them work. Their work saves lives, improves lives and makes our world better. 

We denounce the surge in violence against health workers, with 3600 attacks recorded in the past year. Like in Palestine, where our health sector members are struggling to save lives in what they describe as primitive, unsafe medical settings. We also express concerns for our members in Ukraine where the WHO has reported over 2000 attacks on the healthcare system since 2022. 

Today's rising violence, inequality and systemic injustice are fuelling anger and social unrest globally, which in turn breeds conflict and instability. 

We deeply regret that public services - the most powerful tool for building social cohesion and bridging the gaps between growth, rights, and jobs - do not receive a single mention in the Director General's report. This compels us to once again emphasize that: 

• quality public services – such as healthcare and education – ensure universal access to basic needs, reducing inequalities between income groups. 

• privatisation has not worked, and exacerbates inequality by prioritizing profits over universal access. 

• and we must once again emphasise that progressive taxation reduces income and wealth gaps, and provides benefits for all workers, especially lower-income groups who rely on services and protections. 

The Director General’s report is right to conclude that what is missing is not ideas, but tangible action. The frontline health workers who PSI brought to speak to the ILC in the aftermath of COVID-19 also demanded action. They called on governments and employers to move beyond the applause and make concrete improvements to conditions for essential workers. They warned that without increased public investment and employment, we would be left just as unprepared for the next crisis. Yet such action is yet to materialize. Despite the deaths of millions, including over 100,000 health workers, it seems we still have not learned our lesson. 

We hope this message is heard, and we hope that it encourages the ILO - with its mandate for social justice and decent work - to be bolder in transforming our world. The time for decisive action is now.