24–30 October marks United Nations Disarmament Week — a moment for the global trade union movement to renew its call for peace, justice and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) stands with the ITUC’s Trade Unions for Peace global mobilisation, calling on governments and intergovernmental institutions to put disarmament, diplomacy, and social justice at the centre of global security.
At its recent 46th Congress in Marrakech, the ITF adopted a powerful motion on peace and security, reaffirming that “peace is not only the absence of war, but the principle of human relations based on the free cooperation of all for the common good.”
The motion underscores that workers are always the first victims of war, displacement, and the poverty that conflict breeds. It highlights that the fight for peace and the fight for workers’ rights are inseparable: social justice is a building block in the search for and maintenance of peace.
Disarmament is a trade union issue
UN Disarmament Week reminds us that lasting peace demands action to reduce and ultimately eliminate the tools of war. The ITF fully supports the United Nations disarmament agenda, Securing Our Common Future, which calls on states to strengthen trust, rebuild international norms, and reduce reliance on weapons and military force.
The ITF joins the UN in calling for global disarmament, including the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
Military occupation, collective punishment, and unilateral interventions violate international law and undermine the foundations of peace. The ITF condemns all such acts and reiterates its belief that the collective action of the UN, not unilateral militarism, must guide international responses to threats to peace.
“Transport workers move the world – but we will not be moved by the machinery of war,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin. “We stand for solidarity, for peace, and for the right of every human being to live free from fear and violence. The trade union movement knows that real security comes from equality, decent work, and justice – not from an arms race.”
Building a culture of peace
Trade unions have a unique role to play in building peace – from defending democratic institutions and international law, to tackling poverty, inequality, and unemployment that fuel conflict.
As the ITF Congress motion states, “sustainable conflict prevention requires engagement in cultures of peace and institutions and structures dedicated to non-violent conflict resolution.”
“Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin,” said ITF President-elect Frank Moreels. “When workers are exploited, when poverty deepens, and when inequality widens, peace cannot last. That’s why unions everywhere are part of the peace movement – building fairness, democracy, and solidarity in our workplaces and our societies.”
This Disarmament Week, the ITF calls on affiliates and allies to:
- Engage in the ITUC's Trade Unions for Peace campaign.
- Educate and mobilise workers around the importance of disarmament and international solidarity.
- Stand firm against militarism, occupation, and all forms of violence.
Because there can be no lasting peace without justice – and no justice without the power of organised workers.
Photo credit: REUTERS
