A global trend analysis of the role of Trade Unions in times of Covid-19 – International Labour Organziation(ILO) new publication
Trade unions should regard the crisis as a wake-up call for contributing to building forward better and advancing labour and social agendas. To achieve these objectives, they need to be recognized, participate in policy-making, and negotiate collective agreements promoting fundamental rights, adequate minimum wages as well as maximum working hours, health and social protection benefits for all, and safety and health at work.
Building forward better requires global-scale responses based on effective social dialogue and sound industrial relations. Trade unions need to ensure that the temporary measures adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are a stepping-stone toward a sound recovery focusing on a medium to longer-term perspective in line with the priorities identified in the ILO’s policy framework for responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
Trade unions’ agenda for resilience and empowerment in the context of the COVID-19 crisis and recovery should aim to: build political will, contribute to strengthening social dialogue mechanisms, build knowledge and capacity, increase representative capacity, continue to promote workers’ priorities, provide new services, expand partnerships, engage with the UN processes on sustainable development, share information and learn from previous crises.