Congress fringe report: Working for a better world – the trade union role in international development

Congress fringe report: Working for a better world - the trade union role in international development

On Monday 13 September at TUC Congress a lunchtime fringe meeting on the trade union role in international development was held. The meeting was to discuss the unique role in international development that trade unions play, working to alleviate poverty through productive, sustainable and decent work for all. About 75 people turned up to listen to the discussion and question the panel.

The Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell addressed a packed out room and set out his priorities for DFID, including legislating for 0.7% of GNI to be spend on overseas aid, value for money, wealth creation, conflict stabilisation including Afghanistan and Pakistan, the role of women and gender equality and climate change. The Secretary of State spoke about the valued role of trade unions, particularly in fragile democracy states as a key part of an active civil society. He praised the trade union work profiled in the new publication from the TUC, Working for Global Justice: The UK trade union role in International Development

Gail Cartmail, Unite Assistant General Secretary and International Development Spokesperson for the TUC General Council made an excellent chair and the meeting also heard from Gemma Tumelty from the TUC, Gideon Shoko, Deputy General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and Sue Ferns, Head of Research, Prospect Union.

Secretary of State addresses the meeting

Gideon Shoko from the ZCTU, updated the meeting about the fragility of the country and spoke about the importance of the relationship between the TUC, affiliate unions and the ZCTU. He said of the economic situation, 'The formation of the unity government has not brought much relief to the ordinary worker or Zimbabwean. The economy has stabilised due to the introduction of the multi currency system but wages remain low with the average wage across all sectors at $165 per month against a poverty line of $486.'

Gideon Shoko making his contribution

Sue Ferns spoke about the impact of the DFID funded Bargaining for Development programme that Prospect have been running and how this vital development awareness work is important for ensuring workers take action to effect change in the global south.

Questions from the attendees covered the process for legislating for 0.7%, the role of trade unions in the UK in supporting sister unions in the global south, the value for money agenda and the role of the education unions in campaigning for universal education.

Gemma Tumelty's speech:

Thank you Gail and thank you to the Secretary of State for coming to address this fringe meeting. The TUC highly values the partnership that we have with DFID and are grateful for you coming to Manchester to speak to the union movement about DFID's future priorities and the trade union role.

People don't usually think of unions when they think about international development but our goals of living wages, workplaces free of child and forced labour, decent public services and the promotion of equality and justice can make a big contribution to eliminating poverty when won. This is of the ultimate aim of the millennium development goals.

All workers, whether in factories or fields, markets or offices have the right to work in dignity and with equality and unemployed, sick, disabled, older and low-paid women and men should have an adequate income provided through social protection. Low wages and dangerous workplaces take away the dignity of workers and keep people in poverty. Poverty is perpetuated when working parents can't afford decent food and housing, to educate their children or access basic healthcare. If workers are free to join and organise unions, those unions can negotiate with employers and governments to secure decent work and speak out to promote and defend human rights and democracy. The reality in many countries is that the denial of the right to union membership, the lack of enforcement of legislation designed to protect workers and the exclusion from social protection of informal economy workers keeps people in poverty.

The TUC and affiliated unions have long-standing relationships with sister unions in the global south and opportunities to develop partnerships to bring about change and promote development.

Collectively, we also have opportunities to influence national and international institutions to promote our goals and to work with human rights and development NGOs to promote decent work.

Trade unions have been working to help meet the millennium development goals. From development work in country, to influencing multinationals and national and international institutions right through to groundbreaking campaigning work. The TUC was a leading partner of the Make Poverty History Campaign and is currently helping to coordinate the Robin Hood Tax campaign. Through these vehicles and more the trade union movement has been making the case for the eradication of poverty and development on national and international platform.

We now need the world to keep their promises to the poorest and most vulnerable by ensuring that our Government fulfils its overseas aid commitments and pushes hard for the rest of the world to do the same. We are very pleased to see that the Government has kept its commitment for 0.7 GDP going to overseas development despite systematic opposition from some. The upcoming MDG review summit is a key moment for the UK to keep up the pressure on other countries to keep their promise to the world's poor.

One of the MDGs is specifically about work, MDG 1B acknowledges the contribution that productive and decent employment can make to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Trade unions, as civil society actors, therefore have an unrivalled access to influencing economic development. Decent jobs directly combat poverty and hunger by providing income to families and communities and by promoting women's employment, also relevant to the fulfilment of MDG 3.

Workplace activities and policies also contribute significantly to the achievement of MDG 6 on HIV/AIDS.

Trade unions are 'development actors' but are also far more than this. The historic experience and current demands of working people in Britain have many parallels with contemporary struggles of southern workers today. The TUC has a diverse and rooted base of policy experience on all aspects of the world of work, knowledge which can be shared and exchanged with our colleagues globally

Across the world, the TUC works in partnership with national, regional and international trade union organisations, as well as human rights and development civil society organisations to promote our goals.

Just a flavour of the breadth and depth of the work of the UK trade union movement in development is captured in this booklet. Examples such as:

Supporting the Zimbabwe Congress of TUs in their struggle to ensure a people driven, people centred state, and I am delighted that we will hear more about the situation in Zimbabwe, from Gideon Shoko shortly.

Building the capacity of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress which has resulted in 45,000 workers having increased rights at work and 15,000 civil servants receiving a pay increase.

In Iraq, supporting the fledgling union movement to run a campaign for new labour laws that are compliant with international standards, and we have had some very helpful support from the Foreign Secretary on this issue.

In Bangladesh, supporting trade unions to confront and adapt to climate change through just transition, and

In Nepal, building capacity of unions to organise and represent domestic workers to ensure that Government policy supports domestic workers.

I am so pleased that Sue Ferns from Prospect is on the panel to talk further about the practical work that unions are undertaking at home and abroad.

Through capacity building, campaigns, advocacy and organising, trade unions are helping to lift people out of poverty, enabling them to win and uphold their human and trade union rights. We look forward to continuing our work with DFID to really impact on people's lives and work towards the elimination of poverty.