07 May 2024
Trade unions welcome strengthened labour standards in the criteria for certifying infrastructure projects.
The improved standards follow the 2024 OECD Infrastructure Forum when it was announced that the Blue Dot Network (BDN) would be hosted by the OECD.
Updates to the BDN certification incentivise collective bargaining and decent work. BDN certified projects have three levels of certification – Essential, Superior and ‘Best in Class’ – and each category includes labour standards. The labor standards include:
“We are cautiously optimistic that investors will prefer BDN certified infrastructure projects to those that are not certified. This means projects that include collectively bargained working conditions with occupational health and safety at all stages of development.
“We call on OECD governments to convert the BDN voluntary criteria into mandatory regulations.”