International Trade Union Confederation
Building Workers’ Power
The clock is ticking
for a new social contract
Access to water and sanitation is a human right
Billions of people around the world suffer from poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene. This is a global crisis that is expanding and must be solved urgently to achieve Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation for all.
Trade unions are calling for public investment in sustainable water management and to create the climate-friendly jobs that will enable workers to address this crisis effectively. Trade unions are also supporting a global treaty on plastic pollution to end plastic waste and protect marine ecosystems.
However, many governments are not getting the urgency of acting now. Instead, they continue to support businesses that profit from unsustainable exploitation of water systems and unregulated plastic waste.
Workers put people’s health and access to water and sanitation over profit.
Our priorities on SDG 6 | Tweet about this | Watch the video
We need a global shift towards renewable energy
Shifting towards reliable, accessible and sustainable energy is essential for humankind to improve its working and living conditions, while preserving the environment.
Governments must cooperate with workers and employers to improve our capacity to develop renewable energy and ensure efficient access for all. It is also urgent that governments end all subsidies for fossil fuels and invest these resources in sustainable energy infrastructure and the fight against energy poverty.
This shift is within most countries’ reach: all national climate plans must include measures about creating decent and climate-friendly jobs in the energy sector, with just gender-responsive transition measures based on social dialogue.
But the poorest countries lack the capacity to do all of this. That is why trade unions call for more international climate finance to support renewable energies in these countries, together with robust accountability mechanisms for sustainable investments.
Our prirorities for SDG 7 | Tweet about this | Watch the video
Sustainable innovation, infrastructure and industry are the only way forward
Trade unions know that building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation can be game changers for reducing poverty and inequalities.
But for this to happen, investments in infrastructure and industry need to be based on human rights and development needs, reduce dependency on foreign products in crucial sectors (such as food, energy and medicines) and provide decent jobs with minimum living wages.
Micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises can contribute to employment creation but need to guarantee formalisation of the informal economy.
As innovation and rapid digitalisation are leading to new forms of work, skills development and life-long learning are needed to leave no worker behind. We must also recognise that access to a high quality and affordable internet connection is a basic right, and advocate for legislation to protect data privacy and the rights of home-based, platform, and remote workers.
Our priorities for SDG 9 | Tweet about this | Watch the video
Sustainable cities need workers to take care of them
Waste management workers reduce pollution and make the environment cleaner; transportation workers deliver sustainable transports; skilled builders make energy efficient homes and workplaces.
Workers are already doing their bit to ensure the transition towards sustainable cities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 11.
Now it is up to governments to show their willingness to do their share.
Budgets must be redirected to create the necessary green and decent jobs. Just transitions must ensure that no worker is left behind during the process to build and take care of our cities, with healthy environments and local, nearby, quality public services for all.
Our priorities for SDG 11 | Tweet about this | Watch the video
The clock is ticking for a new social contract based on SDG 8 and social dialogue
The SDGs give us the blueprint to address the problems the world is facing and the trade unions’ proposal for a new social contract shows how workers can make the changes that are needed. They’ll build the cities with clean water, green energy and sustainable infrastructure. They’ll run the industries of the future.
But to do this, they want their rights to be respected with security and equality at work, recognition through decent working conditions, living wages, social protection and a voice in decision-making through social dialogue.
Time is running out. Governments must act now, together with social partners, to accelerate action on SDG 8 and achieve the 2030 Agenda.
Our priorities for SDG 17 | Tweet about this | Watch the video
#Timefor8
The clock is ticking for a New Social Contract
The planet is facing multiple crises that are having devastating effects on people and the environment.
Our world is becoming increasingly unstable and dangerous as conflicts increase, global inequality rises, and the climate crisis worsens.
This situation is furthering authoritarianism, harming workers through attacks on trade unionists and erosion of labour rights and wages.
Workers and trade unions see the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the roadmap for global change.
Goal 8, on decent work and sustainable economic growth, plays a leading role. Its targets on employment, workers’ rights, decent work, social protection, inclusive growth, and environmental preservation provide strong leverage for the other SDGs of the Agenda.
This why trade unions call for an SDG 8-driven recovery, with a gender transformative New Social Contract based on (1) creating decent, climate-friendly jobs with a just transition; (2) protecting workers’ rights; (3) ensuring fair pay and wage equality; (4) providing universal social protection; (5) ending discrimination and promoting equality; and (6) empowering developing countries through inclusive development systems.
