International Court of Justice advisory opinion upholds right to strike, prompting Romanian union's demand for stronger 

On 21 May 2026 the International Court of Justice in The Hague issued an advisory opinion confirming that the right to strike is protected under the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 87 on freedom of association. The court stated that “the right to strike is an essential component of union freedom and a legitimate instrument for workers to defend their economic and social interests.”

Romanian trade union CNS “Cartel Alfa” hailed the opinion as a major milestone for international labour rights and called on the Romanian government to consolidate legal guarantees for the exercise of the strike right, eliminate disproportionate restrictions, strengthen collective bargaining and align national legislation with the ILO standards.