The document discusses the current state of trade unions from a European perspective. It notes that union membership and strength has greatly declined in Europe, where unions have traditionally been strongest. However, unions in Northern Europe remain relatively strong due to offensive organizing and mobilization efforts. Unions in Southern Europe have suffered under austerity policies, while those in Central Europe have stabilized to some degree through campaigns and contract negotiations. The document advocates for more international cooperation between unions, such as cross-border actions and solidarity campaigns, in order to strengthen the labor movement globally. It provides examples of successful international union campaigns.

1. The Fall & Rise of Labour?
Current state of the world’s trade union
movement from the Europe perspective
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015
Vasco Pedrina, GLI Geneva, Unia/USS Switzerland

2. 2
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Most important message
Make use of the economic and social
development of the “emerging countries”
(BRICS) to boost the presently low world
unionization’s rate of 7%
Essential for our survival/future development
because in Europe, whose unions have
traditionally represented the largest battalions of
the labour movement, there has been a big decline
in member numbers and union strength.
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

3. 3
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Factors of trade union strength - I
1) Member numbers – Union density
2) Capacity of mobilizing and of striking in the
branches
3) Capacity to develop political campaigns and to
mark political presence in the society
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

4. 4
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Factors of trade union strength - II
4) Degree of coverage with collective agreements
(CAs)
5) System of workers’ representation in the
companies (Workers Councils)
6) Human and financial resources of the trade
unions
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

5. 5
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Map of the “state of unions” in Europe - I
 Northern Europe:
− Unions have been losing positions, but they continue to be
relative strong.
− Open for cooperation projects in other continents, but not for
a policy of solidarity en Europe (against Euro-Bonds or
“Transfer-Union”)
 Middle and Eastern Europe:
− Unions have been losing dramatically members . In a lot of
countries they are no more a social counter-force/power
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

6. 6
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Map of the “state of unions” in Europe - II
 Southern Europe:
− Unions have been suffering very much under the pressure of
EU-austerity policy
− Big mobilizations/strikes in the 2-3 years after the crisis 2008.
But attacks against workers’ and unions have stopped this
dynamic
 Central Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Austria):
− Unions have been developing a process of stabilization
(membership, social power) in the last years thanks to
offensive organizing, rank & file participation, mobilizations by
renewal of CAs and political campaigns (e.g. for a legal
minimum wage)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

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Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Where are we now?
The inequality of these situations/developments and
the trend everywhere toward national isolationism
among trade unions since the crisis 2008 make it very
difficult to develop an European and international
union dynamic of solidarity!
For instance, our attempts to develop such a dynamic with
ETUC weren’t successful in the last 8 years (no one
European campaign! The last successful one was against
the Bolkestein-Directive for services liberalization 2005!)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

8. 8
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
What can combative and international oriented
unionists do?
 Promote internationalist spirit and practices by
• Cross-border actions (multinationals, industries, across
industries
• Cooperation projects and international solidarity
campaigns
 Orient global unions’ resources toward an exchange
of best practices and initiatives for campaigns and
mobilizations
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

9. 9
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Best practice 1: Union campaign after the “Rana
Plaza” tragedy in Bangladesh
(Accord on Fire and Buliding Safety + Compensation Fund)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

10. 10
Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Best practice 2: Sport-campaigns of BWI and ITUC
(World Cup in South Africa 2010, in Brasil 2014, in Qatar 2022,…)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015

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Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Best practice 3: Joint campaigns against TTIP, TTP
and TISA - I
(Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TransPacific
Trade, TISA-Agreement)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015
Aims:
 Stop social and environmental dumping. –
Harmonizing social and environmental standards to a
higher level
 Stop privatizations
 Stop ISDS (Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement

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Die Gewerkschaft / Le syndicat
Best practice 3: Joint campaigns against TTIP, TTP
and TISA - II
(Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TransPacific
Trade, TISA-Agreement)
International Summer School 2015 – Northern College/UK, 6-10/7/2015
Protest of musicians against TTIP in Berlin (Mai 2015)