Trade
Trade is increasingly international, beyond the control of individual governments. Many companies operate out of different countries, meaning that capital and production moves around the world, often looking for the cheapest environments where controls are loosest. For many workers around the world this has meant lower labour standards and a decline in their rights at work.
Co-operation and solidarity between trade unionists, unions, national centres (such as the TUC) and international trade union organisations play an increasingly crucial role in safeguarding workers' rights. The TUC works with a large number of international trade union organisations [link to section on this site] to campaign for a trade system with a social element not tacked on to the end, but at its heart.
The most recent documents available on this subject are:
TUC calls for Labour Standards inclusion in EU trade negotiations
As the EU finalises its negotiating mandate for bilateral trade agreements the TUC calls on the British Government to ensure that labour standards are firmly embedded.
6 February 2007
EPAs: A threat to workers
A joint guide produced by the TUC, ACTSA and Traidcraft outlines the latest developments regarding the Economic Partnership Agreements being negotiated between the European Union and 6 regional groupings of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries. EPAs are supposed to be aids to economic development in these regions but there are increasing concerns that they will have a negative impact on jobs and working conditions. To down load go to http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/EPAbriefing.pdf
15 January 2007
Launch of guidelines for TUC International Development Learning Fund
The aim of the Fund is to build TUC affiliated trade union capacity to work on international development: to raise development awareness amongst their membership and/or to work in partnership with developing country trade unions, with the ultimate goal of reducing global poverty. Affiliates are invited read the guidelines and consider how they might engage with the Fund.
11 September 2006
Announcment of new International Development Learning Fund
The new three year DFID/TUC Strategic Framework Partnership Arrangement (SFPA) began last month. One objective within the partnership is to build TUC affiliated trade union capacity to work on international development: to raise development awareness amongst their membership and/or to work in partnership with developing country trade unions. To achieve this, the TUC is currently setting up an International Development Learning Fund.
31 August 2006
TUC Response to Suspension of WTO talks
Negotiations at the World Trade Organisation were suspended on 24 July following the failure of the G6 (EU, US, India, Brazil Japan, Australia) to make progress on unlocking the Doha Round of international trade talks. The suspension is open ended and the consequences are only now being assessed. This statement gives an initial TUC reaction to the breakdown of negotiations.
3 August 2006
DFID white paper on development: comments from the Ghana TUC
A response to the DFID white paper 'Making governance work for the poor' from Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, Secretary General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC)
PDF version available for download
24 July 2006
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