International Trade Union Confederation

The global gender pay gap is stuck at 20 per cent, women are excluded from large parts of the economy and are overrepresented in precarious, casual and informal work. Recent global shocks have exacerbated existing racism and discrimination. Trade union membership, collective bargaining, solidarity and action are powerful means to address these inequalities. The union movement itself needs to constantly ensure that its own structures and processes are representative.

The systematic undervaluing of women’s work remains a problem across the globe and has been worsened by recent global shocks. When health and care systems are overwhelmed, an additional burden of care mainly falls on female household members. When economies are under pressure, lower-paid jobs, where women are overrepresented, are lost first, and harassment and violence against women increases dramatically. Global shocks have exacerbated existing racism, discrimination against people who identify as LGBTQI, exploitation of migrant workers, violations of indigenous peoples’ rights and inadequate services for people with disabilities.

Workers’ demands for justice, equality, inclusion and social progress must be central to global multilateral agendas. The Equality department promotes these goals through the United Nations, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering rights-based labour migration, promoting gender equality, integrating women and young people into work, and combating workplace discrimination. Trade union membership is key to challenging inequalities through collective bargaining and solidarity. To ensure representation, the union movement strives for inclusive structures, aiming for 50 per cent of leadership positions in ITUC-affiliated unions to be held by women by the 7th World Congress.

Economic policy: We demand robust, time-bound measures to close the gender pay gap and the removal of barriers to equal participation of women in the economy. We call for investment in the care economy in all countries and proper recognition of the value of care work. Governments, international institutions and the ILO must collaborate to achieve equality in the workplace and society.

International law: Governments musts ratify and implement ILO Convention 100 on equal pay, C111 on anti-discrimination and C190 on violence and harassment at work. ILO Conventions 97 and 143 must be implemented to support the rights of migrant workers and their families, and we demand labour migration governance frameworks at all levels developed through social dialogue.

Discrimination: We will fight for the rights of LGBTQI individuals, migrant workers, indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities, and anyone facing racism, prejudice and bigotry. Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants are welcome, and we demand that they receive safe haven, the right to work and equal treatment.