The New York City comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., yesterday urged 15 companies to adopt workplace human rights policies on behalf of the five city pension funds.

“It’s disturbing that we need to put forward a shareholder proposal seeking decent working conditions in this day and age,” Mr. Thompson said.

The shareholder proposals were recently filed on behalf of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS), Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, and the Board of Education Retirement System (BERS).

The proposed workplace rights call for companies to respect basic human rights of their workers. These include – but are not limited to – banning child labor; allowing workers to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively; prohibiting discrimination against worker representatives; barring discrimination or intimidation in employment; and not using forced, bonded, or prison labor. The policies are based on the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on workplace human rights and the United Nations’s Norms on the Responsibility of Transnational Corporations with regard to Human Rights.

Because these issues have been regulated in America for years, Mr. Thompson argued that, “There is no reason why these U.S.-based companies should not implement the same basic human rights in their overseas operations.

In fact, refusing to adopt these principles allows for reputational risk and potential losses for investors.” NYCERS Trustee and New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said that, “It is unconscionable for a company that prohibits discrimination and child labor in the U.S. to permit it abroad. It is a bad policy for workers and will ultimately impact negatively on shareholder value.”