The rapid and huge increase in the amount of economic activity taking place across national boundaries has had an enormous impact on the lives of workers and their communities everywhere.

The current form of globalisation, with the international rules and policies that underpin it, has brought poverty and hardship to millions of workers, particularly those in developing and transition countries.

They have seen an erosion of their working conditions, wages and job security in a time of unprecedented wealth and technological capability.

There is no doubt that globalisation creates problems for workers. These problems do not respond to purely national solutions and an international response is therefore needed from the trade union movement in order to safeguard workers' and other social rights.

This website was created by the TUC's EU & International Relations Department as a resource primarily for trade unionists interested in globalisation.

The aim of this website is to:

• raise key issues and to highlight trade union responses to aspects of globalisation of particular interest to working people.
• provide updates on international trade union campaigns and activities
• act as a resource for trade union trainers

Don't forget to sign up to receive email alerts on news and updates as they are published.

The most recent documents available in this 'TUC in action' area are:

Gender, Globalisation and Poverty Reduction Course, registration now open.
In paid work or not, women make up an ever growing majority of the world's poor. This union learn course explores the unequal impact of globalisation and the challenges it presents for international development, together with some of the campaigning tools and activities that can help you organise around the issues as a trade unionist and/or within your own workplace.

G20 Finance Ministers urged to put jobs and climate first
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling MP calling on him to use the G20 Finance Ministers' meeting in St Andrews this weekend to push for further change to prevent any return to business as usual. As part of a global trade union lobbying campaign, the TUC has endorsed the statement of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC).

Trade union statement to Commonwealth Heads of Government
The Commonwealth Trade Union Group - with 30 million members in 51 Commonwealth countries - is calling on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, 27-29 November 2009, to take a series of steps towards a more equitable and sustainable future based on decent work.

TUC and DFID sign Programme Partnership Arrangement
On 3 July, the TUC signed a £2.4 million Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) with the Department for International Development (DFID) which will run until 31 March 2011. The TUC's PPA purpose is to achieve: Reduced poverty and increased rights of workers in developing countries through greater support for and strengthened capacity of developing country trade unions.

Just transformation: for jobs, justice, climate
The full TUC submission to the Department for International Development's white paper consultation exercise. Submitted in May 2009, it sets out twelve crucial steps that DFID could take to address the global economic crisis, climate change, conflict and the international institutions.

Challenges at the G8: TUC calls for action by Gordon Brown
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has asked Prime Minister Gordon Brown to focus on job creation, action on global poverty and on climate change when he goes to the G8 next month in Italy.

Ethical Trading Initiative
The ETI is an alliance of companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and trade union organisations committed to working together to identify and promote good practice in the implementation of codes of labour practice, including the monitoring and independent verification of the observance of code provisions.

European Works Councils: cases of good practice
Report of a multinational project involving the TUC with trade union colleagues from Spain (CC.OO Catalunya), France (Alpha Conseil) and Netherlands (FNV Formaat). Working with a group of EWC members, practical problems of EWC were identified, and many suggested solutions, based on their experiences, were identified. In English, Spanish and French

TGWU Globalisation Education site
An opportunity for T&G members and others to learn more about globalisation, international trade unionism, and questions of international development

Trade Justice Movement
The Trade Justice Movement campaigns for fundamental change to the unjust rules and institutions governing international trade, so that trade is made to work for all. The TUC is a member of the Trade Justice Movement.

War on Want
War on Want (registered office & head office) Fenner Brockway House 37-39 Great Guildford Street London SE1 OES (Tel) 020 7620 1111 (Fax) 020 7261 9291 (email) mailroom@waronwant.org

Workers' Health International News
Hazards is the only independent, union-friendly magazine to win major international awards. Workplace unions are your best hope for better, safer work - and Hazards provides the information and resources to make the union job easier. Hazards looks behind the company safety hype, and gives union answers to workplace problems. Using a global network of union safety correspondents, Hazards makes sure you have the best information available anywhere.

Gender, Globalisation and Poverty Reduction Course
In paid work or not, women make up an ever growing majority of the world’s poor. This union learn course explores the unequal impact of globalisation and the challenges it presents for international development, together with some of the campaigning tools and activities that can help you organise around the issues as a trade unionist and/or within your own workplace.<br />Running over International Women’s Day (8-9 March 2010) this course is designed for union lay representatives and organisers, tutors and union officers. As an optional part of the course you will be invited to take part in the TUC’s International Women’s Day celebrations at Congress House on the evening of March 8th. <br />What does the course cover?<br />Is women’s unequal share of poverty accidental or a foreseeable result of economic and social processes which have a gender bias? This two day course will help you explore how women’s health, wealth and well-being worldwide are affected by globalisation. We will also look at the extent to which key international policies such as the UN Millennium Development Goals and the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda provide us with the tools for combating this trend. There will be space to reflect on your own sector and to consider organising projects around the issues appropriate to your union/workplace situation. UK and international speakers active in these areas will be in attendance.<br />Knowledge<br />At the end of this course you will:<br />• recognise the ways in which globalisation impacts on women’s poverty<br />• appreciate policy designed to deal with poverty and inequality<br />• have information on collective activity, in developing countries and within the UK, that is designed to tackle discriminatory processes.<br />Skills<br />At the end of this course you will be able to:<br />• work comfortably with the concepts of gender, globalisation and international development<br />• use gender analysis<br />• assess the opportunities for taking action in your union/workplace.<br /><br />