How to work with trade unions
This paper offers some really useful, practical advice to country teams who
are thinking about working with trade unions as partners in development. 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. Their interest in promoting
democracy and human rights, together with their ability to exert considerable
influence in country means that they have significant potential to contribute to
reducing poverty. We should, therefore, be working with unions where we can.
The note has been prepared with the support of UK trade unions and builds on
the Labour Standards and
Poverty Reduction paper (211
kb) published in 2004.
 Foreword by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary
We very much welcome DFID's initiative in publishing this guide for their
staff and hope that it will result in effective partnerships to further the
development agenda.
Unions in developing countries are key civil society organisations and are
seen as the voice of working people in all sectors of the economy. This has been
recognised by DFID with the publication of this 'How to note'.
Our sister trade unions in developing countries would welcome the opportunity
to work in partnership with DFID on the achievement of the MDGs. Staff in the
TUC's international department would also be delighted to hear from DFID staff
who wanted to enquire further about any aspect of who we are and what we do.
The publication of this guide is a positive step towards establishing a
working relationship between developing country trade unions and DFID staff.
Brendan Barber
TUC General Secretary
Further information
Last updated: 29 September 2007
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