January 2003
Collaboration between trade unions and NGOs is nothing new. Many different types of partnerships have been developed over the years. The Ethical Trading Initiative and the Jubilee Debt Campaign are examples of broad-based coalitions, as is the Trade Justice Movement, which the TUC joined recently. BOND members may be interested to know that TUC Aid, the charity set up by the TUC in 1998 to fund humanitarian relief, education and long-term development are now a member of BOND. The trade union movement has historically had close links with NGOs eg. Solidar, War on Want and ACTSA that have a strong labour focus in their work.While trade unions and NGOs share many common concerns, there are clear differences in the way each are organised and work. For a start, trade unions have stricter structures for decision-making, designed to accommodate the need for accountability and democracy within large membership-based organisations. Campaigners will be familiar with the 'congress motion' and the amount of work that goes into getting one passed. At the international level, these structures attempt to accommodate the diverse priorities of trade union federations around the globe. The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions represents 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries with a membership of 157 million, at such events as WSSD and WTO Ministerial Conferences.
Another difference is the fact that the trade union movement is a broad social movement that has traditionally embraced a whole range of issues (in addition to its core focus on the world of work) covering poverty, human rights, environmental protection, peace and disarmament etc., rather than concentrating on a single issue. And, the focus of such concerns has not been exclusively in the so-called South.
Addressing the inequalities between the North and South is a priority, but we are committed to social justice for all people. In a world where the globalisation process sponsored by big business and powerful governments has created inequality both between and within nations, the problem is not so much 'North-South' as 'elite- excluded'. The Statistical Office of the European Communities 2002 Annual Report shows that after social transfers, about 1 in 5 people in the EU lives below the poverty line. At the end of 1999 a quarter of the British population were living in poverty, measured in terms of low income and multiple deprivation of necessities. Nobody questions the urgent need to address the appalling poverty in developing countries. However, the same factors are at work in all countries, creating groups which are disenfranchised, and pitting them against each other.
A key challenge is to ensure that we do not fall into the trap of thinking along the lines of 'us and them' - a real test for the international trade union movement. The TUC approach is to avoid protectionism, fight for the fundamental rights of all workers to be enshrined and to call for trade liberalisation to be accompanied by support measures and appropriate investment to ensure that workers can find an alternative livelihood if necessary.
NGOs have done an excellent job of mobilising support for problems faced in developing countries. Much of this support is built on compassion, religious belief and a sense of social responsibility. The interest that many trade unionists have in international issues is motivated by similar factors. However, the trade union movement also has a long tradition of international solidarity which is built on the common experiences of working people everywhere. Workers the world over know the power of multinationals, as well as the misery and destitution that inadequate protection for their fundamental rights brings.
Ultimately, in our view, it is this shared concern and solidarity, that will be the driving force that brings about change. However, this element, and the impoverishment caused in the UK by international trade rules and other global factors can be overlooked in development NGO campaigns.
NGOs and trade unions are natural allies. We have co-operated successfully in the past and will continue to do so. However, there is no denying that our philosophies and ways of working can differ. The key to effective collaboration is an ability to listen to, and learn from each other, to draw on our comparative strengths and to make the odd compromise.
More Information on NGOs
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