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

Strategic Autonomy for a Social and Sovereign Europe

19.10.2021 International Trade Union Policy
Trade unions discuss a new European sovereignty model that protects industrial relations and the European social model.
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Africa’s Employment Challenges: The Ever-Widening Gaps

09.09.2021 Publikation, News, Global Economy and Corporate Responsibility
The employment situation in sub-Saharan Africa is deteriorating, exacerbated by various developments, such as the climate crisis. In his new study, Professor Robert Kappel analyses and criticises traditional employment policy measures.
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Trade Unions in Transformation 4.0 - How trade unions worldwide are confronting the new world of work

03.09.2021 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit Publikation, Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit
Our project "Trade Unions in Transformation 4.0" has investigated how trade unions worldwide are confronting the new digital world of work. The final report shows that unions and grassroots initiatives need to pool their power resources to negotiate...
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The ten worst countries for working people in 2021

08.07.2021 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit
2021 ITUC Global Rights Index: COVID-19 pandemic puts spotlight on workers’ rights.
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Our Digital Future

22.06.2021
Building union capacity to shape digitalisation - A three-year project in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and The Why Not Lab.
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Digitalisation: A Union Action Guide For Public Services, Work and Workers

11.05.2021
A partnership with FES and EPSU to ensure public service unions and workers understand the challenges digitalisation poses to workers, unions and public services.
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Eine Frau sitzt auf dem Boden und ist von bunten Stoffen umgeben und lächelt in die Kamera

The laborious challenge of enhancing women’s participation in India’s workforce

26.03.2021 Gender Weltweit, International Trade Union Policy
Indian women’s participation in the labour market is low and falling, despite numerous policies and interventions from government and other agencies. Nandita Mondal examines the issue from a societal perspective.
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Implications of automation for workers in Vietnam

09.03.2021 International Trade Union Policy
The line between using technology to manage workers and using technology to control workers is a thin one. In an interview with FES, labour expert Dr Pham Thi Thu Lan, advocates for involving workers and trade unions in the process of using...
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The Road Towards a Carbon Free Society

08.03.2021 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit, Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Politik für Europa, Souveränes Europa, SöT
A Nordic-German Trade Union Cooperation on Just Transition. Six reports are presented and discussed in a series of events nationally as well as in terms of Nordic and European cooperation. They will be published on March 17th 2021.
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Ein Restaurant in Vietnam. Davor stehen Essenslieferanten und Motorroller.

Benefits of platform work need to be assessed with caution

02.02.2021 International Trade Union Policy
The rapid growth of ride-hailing and other app-based services has changed discussions around workers' rights globally. A new FES research analyses legal gaps in digital labour platforms in Vietnam.
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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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More news can be found here.

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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