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World Federation of Trade Unions

 
World Federation of Trade Unions

 
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World Federation of Trade Unions
 
 
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The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade union
Trade union

A trade union or labor union is an organization run by and for workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions....
s across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
. After a number of Western trade unions left it in 1949, as a result of disputes over support for the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan was the primary plan of the United States for rebuilding and creating a stronger foundation for the countries of Western Europe, and repelling communism after World War II....
, to form the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was an international trade union. It came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions , and was dissolved on October 31, 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour to form the International Trade Union Confederation ....
, the WFTU was made up primarily of state-run unions from communist countries and unions affiliated with or sympathetic to communist parties elsewhere.






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The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade union
Trade union

A trade union or labor union is an organization run by and for workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions....
s across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
. After a number of Western trade unions left it in 1949, as a result of disputes over support for the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan was the primary plan of the United States for rebuilding and creating a stronger foundation for the countries of Western Europe, and repelling communism after World War II....
, to form the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions was an international trade union. It came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions , and was dissolved on October 31, 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour to form the International Trade Union Confederation ....
, the WFTU was made up primarily of state-run unions from communist countries and unions affiliated with or sympathetic to communist parties elsewhere. A number of those unions, including those from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia

File:LocationYugoslavia2.pngYugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century....
 and China, left later when their governments had ideological differences with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a Constitution of the Soviet Union socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.The name is a translation of the , romanization of Russian Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated ????, SSSR....
.

The WFTU has declined precipitously in the past twenty years since the fall of the communist regimes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is a term that applies to the geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the Europe. Throughout history and to a lesser extent today, parts of Eastern Europe has been distinguishable from Western Europe and other regions due to cultural, religious, economic, and historical reasons, even though there i...
, with many of its former constituent unions joining the ICFTU. It maintains its headquarters in Prague
Prague

Prague is the Capital and World's largest cities of the Czech Republic. Its official name is Hlavn? mesto Praha, meaning Prague, the Capital City....
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic

The Czech Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east....
 but focuses now on organizing regional federations of unions in the Third World
Third World

Third World is a categorical label used to describe states that are considered to be developed in terms of their economy or level of industrialization, globalization, standard of living, health, education or other criteria for 'advancements'....
, campaigning against imperialism
Imperialism

Imperialism has two meanings; one describing an action and the other describing an attitude.#Action: Imperialism is the practice of extending the power, control or rule by one country over areas outside its borders....
, racism
Racism

Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that Race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race....
, poverty, environmental degradation and exploitation of workers under capitalism
Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system in which wealth, and the means of producing wealth, are private property and controlled rather than commonly, publicly, or state-owned and controlled....
 and in defense of full employment, social security, health protection, and trade union rights. The WFTU continues to devote much of its energy to organizing conferences, issuing statements and producing educational materials.

As part of its efforts to advance its international agenda, the WFTU develops working partnerships with national and industrial trade unions worldwide as well as with a number of international and regional trade union organizations including the Organization of African Trade Union Unity
Organization of African Trade Union Unity

The Organization of African Trade Union Unity is an independent :Category:Regional union federations for trade union centres in Africa.Founded in 1973 , from the merger of the All-African Trade Union Federation , the African Trade Union Confederation , and the smaller Pan-African Workers' Congress, the OATUU has maintained a position of i...
 (OATUU), the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions
International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions

The International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions is the international representation of trade unions in a number of Arab nations.Founded in 1956, the ICATU was originally located in Egypt, but was moved to Syria in 1978 in protest against Anwar Sadat's Visit to Israel....
 (ICATU), the Permanent Congress of Trade Union Unity of Latin America (CPUSTAL), and the General Federation of Trade Unions of CIS.

The WFTU holds consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
, the ILO
International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland....
, UNESCO
UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
, FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger....
, and other UN agencies. It maintains permanent missions in New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, Geneva
Geneva

Geneva is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie . Situated where the Rh?ne River exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Canton of Geneva....
, and Rome
Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
.

The following Trade Unions Internationals are constituted within the WFTU:
  • Trade Unions International of Agriculture, Food, Commerce, Textile, and Allied Industries
  • Trade Unions International of Public and Allied Employees
  • Trade Unions International of Energy, Metal, Chemical, Oil and Allied Industries
  • Trade Unions International of Transport Workers
  • Trade Unions International of Building, Wood and Building Materials Industries
  • World Federation of Teachers Unions


See also

  • List of federations of trade unions
    List of federations of trade unions

    This is a list of federations of trade unions. Those federations listed under each country are also known as national trade union centres and are organizations formed by trade unions which operate, in most cases, at the national level....
  • List of trade unions
    List of trade unions

    This is a list of trade unions and union federations by country. ...


External links