Trade unions

Trade unions are an important part of civil society in many countries, supporting the education and welfare of workers and their communities, and campaigning on issues of social justice including health, education, trade, gender discrimination, the environment and good governance. Although the primary responsibility of trade unions is not international development, there is significant overlap in their aims and values and those of DFID.

This offers the potential for constructive and strategic partnerships to reduce poverty.

What trade unions do

Trade unions define, promote and fight for the collective interests and rights of workers, particularly in relation to employers but also in relation to the state. Trade unions represent their members’ interests through collective bargaining over wages and other terms and conditions, and provide them with social and welfare services.

By securing better conditions for their members, trade unions can help tackle the conditions in which poverty thrives. By promoting human rights, international labour standards, fair industrial relations, productivity and adult learning across broader society, they can also play a useful role in the fight against poverty.

Trade unions are also a good indicator of and foundation for democratic processes and structures. In countries where organised trade union workers can defend rights through negotiation and dialogue there are fewer abuses than in sectors or countries where democratic trade unions do not exist.

Trade unions and the Millennium Development Goals

The international trade union movement has supported the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in their entirety since their introduction and trade unions have an important role to play in the achievement of all the MDGs.

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger The contribution of well-designed and implemented labour standards to reducing poverty is set out in the DFID policy paper Labour Standards and Poverty Reduction. By securing better conditions for their members, promoting human rights, international labour standards, socially responsible business, productivity and adult learning, trade unions can help to tackle the conditions in which poverty thrives.

2. Universal primary education The achievement of universal primary education is not only about the provision of teaching resources. It is also important to understand the link between abolishing child labour and improvements in educational opportunity for children. Many union initiatives to combat child labour involve establishing educational options either to supplement or to replace work.

3. Promote gender equality and empower women Women are more likely to work in the informal economy with the poorest labour conditions. Many women have to manage a double burden of work outside the home and family care responsibilities. Globalisation is providing more women with the opportunity for paid work but often with poor conditions and little security. Historically, trade unions have focused on the needs of the male worker with a fixed job and without care responsibilities. The international trade union movement is now committed to fostering a unionism that includes and advocates the interests of women members.

4. Reduce child mortality The key factors in reducing child mortality - better nutrition, care and medical treatment - are all issues to which trade unions can contribute through their support for better conditions for their members, economic growth, education, women’s empowerment.

5. Improve maternal health Bargaining and campaigning for the rights of women workers has a real effect on women’s lives – particularly where this relates to maternity rights and the rights of working mothers. Trade unions have a crucial part to play in negotiating the terms and conditions of nursing and returning mothers.

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases The economic development of many countries is under threat because a large proportion of the working population is affected by these diseases. Open discussion of HIV/AIDS is often still taboo and employees affected by HIV/AIDS suffer discrimination from both employers and workmates. Trade unions can play an important part in the fight against HIV/AIDS by helping to increase knowledge and understanding and changing attitudes and behaviour. Unions are often the only form of organisation those affected can turn to or feel they can trust.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability Many trade unions have begun to look at the wider links between the workplace, environmental protection and sustainable economic and social development. Unions are able to bring to this issue much relevant experience of negotiation with government and employers, human rights, economic policy, education, women’s issues, and occupational health and safety.

8. Develop a global partnership for development Trade unions take part in a range of activities with governments, international organisations and other civil society organisations aimed at building partnerships for development. Most obvious is the work of the  International Labour Organisation. Trade unions are also actively working with the World Bank and other international institutions to add a labour dimension to development activities.