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

«Transforming banking: How banking unions are negotiating transitions»
14 October 2020, 3.00 - 4.30 pm, Berlin Time, Online

05.10.2020 News, Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit
What solutions have banking unions proposed to negotiate transitions in a sector confronted with automation, job losses and structural changes?
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Nahaufnahme von einem Netzgeflecht, das von Metallkugeln verbunden wird.

What if the citizens of Berlin owned Uber’s data?

05.10.2020 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit | International Trade Union Policy | Global Economy and Corporate Responsibility Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit, International Trade Union Policy, Global Economy and Corporate Responsibility
We must not give companies control and power over our data. Parminder Jeet Singh explains what we need to do.
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«Organising YouTube - Building Workers’ Power in Big Tech»

22.09.2020 News, Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit
What leverage can be applied to bring a Big Tech company to the bargaining table? How do YouTubers organise themselves? You will find answers in the first session of our «Trade Unions in Transformation 4.0» series on 8 October 2020
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Protecting Platform Workers’ Rights in the Post-COVID Economy: Reflections from India

02.07.2020 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit
As employment in India bounces back from the COVID lockdown, platform-mediated work is expected to come into its own. Indian legislation must take the right steps to protect the status and labour rights of gig workers in these changing times, while...
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Solidarity Means Mutual Support – What We Need for a Progressive Economic Policy for Europe

30.06.2020 Gewerkschaften national, International Trade Union Policy
by Reiner Hoffmann and Andreas Botsch
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EIn kleines Dorf mit roten Holzhäusern auf einer Landzunge umgeben vom Grünen.

Back to the Roots

28.05.2020 Starke Gewerkschaften, International Community and Civil Society
Privatisations have led higher costs and lower quality of services. Jochen Steinhilber calls for a greater say for citizens in ipg-journal.
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Justina Jonas

COVID-19 threatening the Jobs, Health and Living Environment of Namibian Workers

30.04.2020 Interview, Blog, International Trade Union Policy
General Secretary of Namibian Metal Worker Union, Justina Jonas, about Labour Day in the Times of the Virus.
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Metallarbeiter

How the Youth of Organised Labour reacts to COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa

30.04.2020 News, Blog, International Trade Union Policy
Preventing Workers from risking their lives (in lockdowns and political conflicts) - by Emmanuel Adjei-Danso, chair of IndustriAll’s Sub-Saharan Africa Youth Committee
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Making the future of trade unions: Organizing young transport workers in the platform economy in Asia

16.04.2020 Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit, International Trade Union Policy
FES Nepal talked to Artika Ashdhir of International Transport Workers' Federation, about how young workers get organized in new-age platform economy.
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COVID-19 in Qatar - Health protection fought by trade unions saves lives

08.04.2020 Displacement, Migration, Integration, Migration policy, Gewerkschaften und gute Arbeit, International Trade Union Policy
Albert Yuson, General Secretary of the Building and Woodworkers' International (BWI), gives insights into the situation in Qatar.
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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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