Formation of the ITUC Asia-Pacific Trade Union Development Cooperation Network

The founding Congress of the ITUC in 2006 identified development cooperation as one of the organisation’s political priorities. With a view on giving new impetus to trade union advocacy and capacity building in this domain the Trade Union Development Cooperation Network (TUDCN) was created in 2008.

The TUDCN is an open and inclusive structure, based on the voluntary commitment of the organisations involved, bringing together various affiliated trade union organisations, solidarity support organisations (SSOs), the regional organisations of the ITUC, the Global Union Federations (GUFs), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD.

Creating and strengthening Regional Trade Union Development Cooperation Networks is central to the overall TUDCN’s objectives in terms of both advocacy and partnerships. This has been promoted by the ITUC Regional Organisations together with the global network.

In line with this priority, the ITUC-AP organised together with the ITUC a first meeting of the TUDCN in the Asia Pacific region in December 2014 to consolidate networking around development cooperation issues at the regional level.

Following this meeting the ITUC-AP is proposing to establish a TUDCN for the Asia Pacific region which will bring together trade union organisations from the region working on development cooperation. This regional network will be part of the global network.