Vereinigungsfreiheit
Freedom of association, "one of the cornerstones of liberal democracy," is also one of the basic principles of labour law, reflected in several ILO Conventions, in the LRA and in the Constitution. Freedom of association "stems from a basic human need for society, community, and shared purpose in a freely chosen enterprise [...] protecting individuals from the vulnerability of isolation and ensuring the potential of effective participation in a society." In short, people have the right to associate with others in order to defend and protect their common interests. This constitutes "both an individual and a collective human right." In addressing the individual facet of freedom of association, the Supreme Court of Canada, in "Lavigne v Ontario" recognized that "the essence of freedom of association is the protection of the individual interests in self-actualization and fulfillment that can be realized only through combination with others."