Global Unions’ Organising Campaign

Unification:

• ICFTU - International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

• WCL - World Confederation of Labour and

• New affiliates

ITUC

ITUC

ITUC represents:

• 168 million workers in

• 153 countries and territories and

• has 304 national affiliates

• Promotion and defence of workers’ rights

• Global campaigning and advocacy • Priority areas include:

– trade union and human rights – economy, society and the workplace – equality and non-discrimination– international solidarity

ITUC Mission & Priorities

• ITUC is governed by World Congress, General Council and an Executive Bureau

• Regional structures: Africa, Americas and Asia-Pacific

• ITUC cooperates with the ETUC and the new ITUC Pan-European Regional Council (PERC)

• Women and Youth Committee

ITUC

• Global Union Federations and the

Global Unions Council• Trade Union Advisory Committee to

the OECD (TUAC)• Observer Status at the United Nations

Economic and Social Council • International Labour Organisation.

International Cooperation

ITUC Departments

• Equality Department• Communication and Campaign

Department – Youth• Human and Trade union Rights • Economy, society and work

Global Unions’ Organising Campaign

Campaign launched on

8 March 2002

Global facts on women:

• 1.1 billion (40%) of the world's 2.8 billion

workers today are women

• Women represent 60 % of the world's 550

million working poor

• 25 to 90% of the world labour force are in the informal economy – majority women

• Constitute about 80% of the 50 million strong workforce in the export processing zones (EPZs)

• Feminisation of migration (48% of the 115 million) and in the most vulnerable jobs

• Women at work face discrimination:

• lack of maternity protection and child care

• sexual harassment • paid between 14 and 60%

less than men

• Women face higher unemployment rates than men

Objectives Campaign: • Significantly increase

trade union women membership

• Equality at work: Advocate for women workers rights

• Equality in trade unions

Focus groups:• Women workers in

the informal economy

• Export Processing Zones

• Migrant women workers

• Young Women

Organizing

• Trade unionism: establishing the same workers rights for men and women

• Trade unions to give top priority to:

- Organising and recruitment - young workers

- Trade union recognition and

- Negotiating collective agreements

Organizing is more then 1+1: • Communication• Representation• Trade union priorities

in policies, negotiations, activities

• Trade union structures• Training and

education

Overcoming multiple obstacles for women to join and integrate into the unions.

Obstacles related to

work: • Restrictions to join

a union, • Lack of childcare

and maternity protection

• Irregular income or jobs

Obstacles related to

male attitudes and

behaviour: • Dominance of male

leadership• Discrimination in

trade unions• Moral and sexual

harassment.

Obstacles related to

lack of information:

• What unions are and what they can do for women

• Never asked to join a union

Equality at work:• Pay Equity• Maternity and

paternity leave• Child care• Shared family

responsibilities• no sexual

harassment

Key equality Conventions:

• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100),

• Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) and

• The Maternity Protection

Convention, 2000 (No. 183).

Equality in trade unions:

Equal access to activities, decision making bodies, leadership positions:

• Positive action programs - minimum participation of 30% women

• Gender parity in trade union delegations

Equality in trade unions:

• Gender trade union

policies, actions and programs

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

2005 – 1st Assessment of the Campaign

Positive impact on• Trade union policies/

programs for women workers

• Promotion women workers rights

• Increase of women trade union activists and leaders

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

2005 – 1st Assessment of the Campaign

Specific Campaigns

do result in an increase in women membership rates

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Increase women membership

- 40-50%: Spain, Bangladesh- 30%: Australia, Brazil,- 1.5 to 14%: Hungary,

Switzerland, Congo, Uganda, Canada.

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Increase women membership:

150%:

CGTM Mauretania

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Increase women membership:

Tanzania:

Women membership went up from 23 to 37%

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Increase women membership:

FNPR Russia: • 2% increase in

women membership

• 58% women membership

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Increase women membership:

Dominican Republic:

1500 women members

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Honduras:

ICFTU Youth Solidarity Mission - Export Processing Zones

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Honduras:

ICFTU Youth Solidarity Mission - Export Processing Zones

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

8 March 2006:

Re-launch of the

Campaign

54 National Centres from 46 countries

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

Campaign Kitwww.icftu.org - equality

Unions for Women, Women for Unions

• Unions4women – email list

• Spotlight interviews • Video/ CD Rom• www.ituc-csi –

equality

8 MARCH 2007 – Global Unions International

Women’s Day: Maternity Protection

8 March 2006

Unions For Women

Women For Unions

Action Day