International Trade Union Policy

No democracy without trade unions

If our aim is to promote Social Democracy worldwide, then we must first strengthen unions. Through them, employees can shape society economically, socially and politically –ultimately aiming for decent work and social justice. We support advocacy groups that serve formal and informal employees in becoming more representative, democratic and independent. For this is the prerequisite for a successful mobilisation of their power resources, both locally and across state borders.

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The Competence Centre on the Future of Work addresses multidimensional aspects of the work itself by focusing on three thematic pillars: Responsible digitalsiation, New Forms of Work and New Technologies at the work place. For more information about our Centre click here.


News and publications on international trade union policy

Trade unions and right-wing populism in Europe

25.05.2023 International Trade Union Policy
At an FES fringe event at the ETUC Congress in Berlin, trade unionists discuss the results of the study on “Trade Unions and Right-Wing Populism in Europe”
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Fair Work in Europe - Transnational structures for good and safe work

15.03.2023 International Trade Union Policy
Trade unions discuss approaches to support cross-border labour mobility and to combat wage and social dumping at European level.
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A New Industrial and Competition Policy for Europe

12.10.2022 International Trade Union Policy
German and European trade unions discuss their common understanding and their political demands for overcoming the current crises in Europe.
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Cover "A majority working in the shadows" with icons for money, social protection, health care, population growth

A majority working in the shadows

28.09.2022 Publikation
The majority in Africa is informally employed and therefore has less access to public services. A research project of FES, ILO and IDOS for the first time gathered significant data concering expectations of informally employed people.
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Solidarity in action in value chains

11.07.2022 International Trade Union Policy
Trade unionists from Germany and the global South discussed how digitalization is changing working conditions globally at an international conference held at the FES Berlin on July 5 and 6.
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From Club to Mission Governance

30.05.2022 Rückblick, International Trade Union Policy
At the Labour 7 Summit, trade unionists from G7 countries draw the contours of a global common good
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L7 – Trade Union Dialogue Shaping the Global Common Good

12.05.2022 International Trade Union Policy
Trade unions from the G7 countries discuss common positions on the global challenges of climate change, digitalization and crisis management.
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Ghost Riders

Ghost riders: the invisible lives of Johannesburg food couriers – photo essay

15.02.2022 Arbeit, Migration policy, International Trade Union Policy
An army of riders ferry food around the South African city, their lives and travails largely unseen by the people they serve. With the support of FES South Africa, photojournalist James Oatway spent several months accompanying them in their daily...
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Online Course on Union Tech

11.11.2021 News, Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit, International Trade Union Policy
Trade Unions are confronted with the need to go digital. We offer a tool and skills to responsibly collect data and build a data-powered campaign.
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Eine Person trägt viele Einkaufstüten von Modemarken.

Seize the Change – Transnational Tactics for Labour Movements

05.11.2021 International Trade Union Policy | Starke Gewerkschaften | Global Economy and Corporate Responsibility Publikation, International Trade Union Policy, Starke Gewerkschaften, Global Economy and Corporate Responsibility
How labour movements can use legal tactics and tools that result from a shift from voluntary forms of corporate social responsibility to mandatory human rights due diligence
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Trade unions and right-wing populism in Europe

The rise of right-wing populist movements and parties throughout Europe is not without consequences for trade unions. In a sequence of short country studies and an analysis based on them, trade union options for action are examined.

The studies are available for download here:

Publications

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Power Resources Toolkit

The toolkit offers hands-on methods and exercises on how to use power resources in key union fields of action: Campaigning and Organising, Collective Bargaining, Organisational Transformation and Policy Advocacy. more

Trade Unions in Transformation

Our project “Trade Unions in Transformation” has researched how trade unions respond to strategic challenges of the new world of work. more

Unions and Digitalization

A repository of articles, reports, tools and guides related to the digitalization of work and union transformation. more

Decent work in global value chains

Our goal is to ensure decent working conditions everywhere in the world. more

Transformation of the world of work

Shaping change is our aspiration and that of our trade union partners. more

International labour and social standards

Based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labor Organization (ILO)... more

How the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung approaches international trade union work

Trade union representation is a fundamental democratic right. It provides a relevant section of the population with the means to help shape the economic, social and political future of society around decent working conditions and social justice. Without trade unions there can be no social democracy!

Our international trade union work fosters social democracy worldwide. We act in close coordination with the unions affiliated to the German Confederation of Trade Unions (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund - DGB). For the global trade union movement, our foundation is a unique partner, thanks to decades of experience and a worldwide network of field offices.

Our work helps trade union positions contribute to political and economical decision-making. This applies both within the countries where we operate, and at regional and global levels.

Trade unions, works councils and other structures for the defence of employee interests in the workplace can only function successfully when they are representative, democratic, independent, competent and effective. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has made helping trade union organisations to achieve this one of its core tasks.

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