Global Unions’ Organising Campaign
Unification:
• ICFTU - International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
• WCL - World Confederation of Labour and
• New affiliates
ITUC
ITUC
ITUC represents:
• 168 million workers in
• 153 countries and territories and
• has 304 national affiliates
• Promotion and defence of workers’ rights
• Global campaigning and advocacy • Priority areas include:
– trade union and human rights – economy, society and the workplace – equality and non-discrimination– international solidarity
ITUC Mission & Priorities
• ITUC is governed by World Congress, General Council and an Executive Bureau
• Regional structures: Africa, Americas and Asia-Pacific
• ITUC cooperates with the ETUC and the new ITUC Pan-European Regional Council (PERC)
• Women and Youth Committee
ITUC
• Global Union Federations and the
Global Unions Council• Trade Union Advisory Committee to
the OECD (TUAC)• Observer Status at the United Nations
Economic and Social Council • International Labour Organisation.
International Cooperation
ITUC Departments
• Equality Department• Communication and Campaign
Department – Youth• Human and Trade union Rights • Economy, society and work
Global Unions’ Organising Campaign
Campaign launched on
8 March 2002
Global facts on women:
• 1.1 billion (40%) of the world's 2.8 billion
workers today are women
• Women represent 60 % of the world's 550
million working poor
• 25 to 90% of the world labour force are in the informal economy – majority women
• Constitute about 80% of the 50 million strong workforce in the export processing zones (EPZs)
• Feminisation of migration (48% of the 115 million) and in the most vulnerable jobs
• Women at work face discrimination:
• lack of maternity protection and child care
• sexual harassment • paid between 14 and 60%
less than men
• Women face higher unemployment rates than men
Objectives Campaign: • Significantly increase
trade union women membership
• Equality at work: Advocate for women workers rights
• Equality in trade unions
Focus groups:• Women workers in
the informal economy
• Export Processing Zones
• Migrant women workers
• Young Women
Organizing
• Trade unionism: establishing the same workers rights for men and women
• Trade unions to give top priority to:
- Organising and recruitment - young workers
- Trade union recognition and
- Negotiating collective agreements
Organizing is more then 1+1: • Communication• Representation• Trade union priorities
in policies, negotiations, activities
• Trade union structures• Training and
education
Overcoming multiple obstacles for women to join and integrate into the unions.
Obstacles related to
work: • Restrictions to join
a union, • Lack of childcare
and maternity protection
• Irregular income or jobs
Obstacles related to
male attitudes and
behaviour: • Dominance of male
leadership• Discrimination in
trade unions• Moral and sexual
harassment.
Obstacles related to
lack of information:
• What unions are and what they can do for women
• Never asked to join a union
Equality at work:• Pay Equity• Maternity and
paternity leave• Child care• Shared family
responsibilities• no sexual
harassment
Key equality Conventions:
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)
• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100),
• Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) and
• The Maternity Protection
Convention, 2000 (No. 183).
Equality in trade unions:
Equal access to activities, decision making bodies, leadership positions:
• Positive action programs - minimum participation of 30% women
• Gender parity in trade union delegations
Equality in trade unions:
• Gender trade union
policies, actions and programs
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
2005 – 1st Assessment of the Campaign
Positive impact on• Trade union policies/
programs for women workers
• Promotion women workers rights
• Increase of women trade union activists and leaders
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
2005 – 1st Assessment of the Campaign
Specific Campaigns
do result in an increase in women membership rates
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Increase women membership
- 40-50%: Spain, Bangladesh- 30%: Australia, Brazil,- 1.5 to 14%: Hungary,
Switzerland, Congo, Uganda, Canada.
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Increase women membership:
150%:
CGTM Mauretania
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Increase women membership:
Tanzania:
Women membership went up from 23 to 37%
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Increase women membership:
FNPR Russia: • 2% increase in
women membership
• 58% women membership
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Increase women membership:
Dominican Republic:
1500 women members
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Honduras:
ICFTU Youth Solidarity Mission - Export Processing Zones
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Honduras:
ICFTU Youth Solidarity Mission - Export Processing Zones
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
8 March 2006:
Re-launch of the
Campaign
54 National Centres from 46 countries
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
Campaign Kitwww.icftu.org - equality
Unions for Women, Women for Unions
• Unions4women – email list
• Spotlight interviews • Video/ CD Rom• www.ituc-csi –
equality
8 MARCH 2007 – Global Unions International
Women’s Day: Maternity Protection
8 March 2006
Unions For Women
Women For Unions
Action Day