ITF translations available: Português, Español

 

The trade union movement began out of solidarity, unity, democracy and representation. Over the years, political and economic crises, and. in some cases, the intervention of personal and corporate interests have contributed to weakening trade union organisations, resulting in an overall reduction in union membership and further interest from workers in the very organisations, which were founded to represent them and to fight for fair working conditions and decent social benefits.

 

Although education has always been an element of trade union work, nowadays the need to develop rank and file workers is fully recognised as a way to build capacity and reinforce trade union organisations. Education helps both workers and those who represent them to develop and strengthen trade union principles. Trade union education can help unions to modernise their policies and activities and address new forms of representation, making the unions more participatory, autonomous and, above all, democratic.

 

The main objectives of ITF trade union education are:

• To assess and to provide expertise to trade union members  on the backgrounds of their organisations
  
  
• To promote and to make effective women’s participation in the trade union movement, with equal rights and equal opportunities .
  
  
• To  put an end to any kind of discrimination based on race, ethnics, nationality, religion, etc. both in the unions and in the workplace .
  
  
• To develop leadership and promote the interest of young  workers, developing new union leaders inside the organisations .
  
  
• To promote workers’ rights and their knowledge about national and international laws .
  
  
• To prepare workers to  adopt different forms of organisation, and, where appropriate, address the democratic restructuring of their own unions.