#iss14: a start kit for the international trade union movement

international summer school starter kit

The “Global Unions”

• The Global Union Federations (GUFs)• The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Global Union Federations• Based on industry/sector• Paid for by union subscriptions

The Global Union Federations

• Building & Woodworkers’ International (BWI)

• Education International (EI)

• IndustriALL

2012 merger of:ICEM (Chemicals, Energy,

Mining)IMF (Metal/ Engineering)ITGLWF (Textiles/Garments)

• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

• International Transportworkers’ Federation (ITF)

• International Union of Foodworkers (IUF)

• Public Services International (PSI)

• Union Network International (UNI)

Or … the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco

and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

• Founded in 1920• 336 trade unions in 120 countries• Membership - 12 million workers • Based in Geneva, Switzerland

IUF Uniting Food, Farm and Hotel Workers World-Wide

• Based in London• Organises seafarers,

dockworkers, civil aviation, railways, road transport, urban transport, fisheries, tourism…

• 681 unions representing 4,500,000 workers in 148 countries

Building & Wood Workers International (BWI)

• Based in Geneva• Organises in building, building materials,

wood, and forestry industries• 350 unions representing 12,000,000

members in 135 countries

What do the GUFs do?

• Support international organising – particularly in TNCs

• Co-ordinate solidarity actions

• TU Development and Education

• UN and employer assoc representation

• Campaigning

• Research

• Information exchange

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

• Founded 2006 – merger of ICFTU and WCL

• Based in Brussels• Represents national

‘trade union centres’ – the global “TUC of TUCs”

Where did ITUC come from?

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

Formed 1949

Social-democratic / democratic socialist

World Confederation of

Labour

Formed 1920

Christian (Catholic) in origin

What is the ITUC for?• Represents trade union interests at international

governmental bodies, particularly at the ILO

• Campaigns for workers’ rights

• Co-ordinates solidarity actions against trade union repression

• Research and union development

• DECENT WORK

World Federation of Trade Unions

Communist Party dominated

Formed 1945

Previously based in Prague

… now Athens

Roots in 1922 Profintern

Resurgence of WFTU?

Global Unions: Regional Structures

CORE LABOUR STANDARDS

Freedom of Association

Right to Collective Bargaining

Elimination of forced labour

Effective abolition of child labour

Freedom from discrimination

… decent work

The political agenda for the international movement

Some agenda items for discussion

“New” Capitalism

Financialisation of modern global corporations

The problem with Europe…

The demise of ‘Social Europe’

European Trade Union Confederation &

European Industrial Committees – EFFATT, ETF, EFBWW …

Unions & the European Commission

€…..

Climate Change, Energy and the trade union movement

Anti-Capitalism

The future of public services

The rise of precarious work

and informal work….

Rebuilding unions

from below

The International Organising Agenda

1970s • World Company Councils

• International Shop Steward Committees

1980s• Networking on the Internet

• International collective bargaining?

1990s• International Framework

Agreements

2000s• Global organising strategies

• Global Organising Alliance

Where are the politics?

Crisis in social-democracy

Onward march of Neo-Liberalism and austerity

Resurgence of WFTU?

Do we have a democratic socialist alternative?

“We are not only losing collective bargaining rights, we are now in a labour war effectively acrossEurope, the U.S., emerging democracies. Why? Because the old stakeholders who drove theneo-liberal economic policies that would seem to be foul policies, the Washington consensus if you’d like, are back in control. We thought the global financial crisis showed them this was a failed economic model. We were wrong. We have now a situation where we are largely engaged in what I can only describe as a labour war”.

Sharan BurrowITUC