Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 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 2030 Agenda. This is why trade unions worldwide are calling for sustainable development policies driven by SDG 8, together with a New Social Contract based on

• Creating decent, climate-friendly jobs with a just transition.
• Protecting workers’ rights.
• Ensuring fair pay and wage equality.
• Providing universal social protection.
• Ending discrimination and promoting equality.
• Empowering developing countries through inclusive development systems.

In July 2024, the world will assess the progress being made on the SDGs at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. This year, this assessment will focus on goals 1 (end poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 13 (climate action) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), in addition to SDG 17 (partnerships to achieve the SDGs) which is reviewed every year.

These are our demands for each of these goals.

"In Nepal, workers, especially informal and migrant, battle poverty daily. Trade unions championed living wages, social protection, and inclusive workplaces, leading to the social security law. We continue fighting for a comprehensive system to protect all workers from poverty." Smritee Lama, GEFONT Nepal

Trade unions’ daily work is aimed at ending poverty in all its forms. Around 700 million people live in extreme poverty today. Most of them are workers, particularly women workers. Trade unions know that decent work and universal social protection are the surest way to reduce poverty and inequality. To support this goal we need gender-transformative just transition policies, progressive tax systems, living wages and equal pay. We also need democratic institutions and workplaces, where everyone has a say in ending and preventing poverty.

Trade unions are ready to lead the way for social justice.

Our priorities on SDG 1: No poverty

• Invest in decent and climate-friendly jobs as a key method for tackling poverty.
• Achieve universal social protection in line with ILO standards.
• Support developing countries by
  • allocating at least 7 per cent of ODA to social protection, and
  • setting up a Global Social Protection Fund.
• Respect workers’ rights and minimum living wages with equal pay.
• Advance gender equality to elevate women out of poverty.
• Establish social dialogue on poverty eradication policies.
• Reform international tax architecture and support progressive taxation.

Read our Position Paper to the HLPF 2024

SDG 2: TRADE UNIONS FIGHT FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD TO END HUNGER

"In Venezuela, workers and their families are suffering from malnutrition. Given this situation and the lack of official tools to address it, ASI Venezuela has created a basic food basket to better equip the country to tackle malnutrition and hunger." Marcela León Molina, ASI Venezuela

The world has never produced as much food as today. So much that a fifth of it goes to waste every day, while almost 800 million people go hungry in the world. The view of trade unions on food is clear: it is a basic human right!

We must promote a sustainable agriculture model that provides decent jobs throughout the food supply chain, with decent wages and lifelong learning for all, including migrant workers. We must oppose market speculation on food and defend democratic spaces for producers, workers, indigenous communities and governments to ensure sustainable food production models that leave no one hungry.

Hunger is a badge of shame. Trade unions are ready to lead the way in building sustainable food systems for all.

Our priorities on SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Recognise the right to food as a human right.
• Ensure decent work, lifelong learning and minimum living wages for workers in agriculture and throughout the food supply chains, including for migrant workers.
• Implement Just Transition policies based on social dialogue in sustainable agriculture.
• Support Indigenous communities’ land rights in line with ILO Convention No. 169.

Read our Position Paper to the HLPF 2024

SDG 13: TRADE UNIONS FIGHT FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN CLIMATE POLICIES

"Kenya is very vulnerable to climate crises, and our workers are losing their jobs, their incomes, and their way of life. In response, COTU is strongly pushing for labour rights, social protection and capacity building in all climate policies." Rose Auma Omamo, Executive Board Member of COTU-K and Deputy President ITUC Africa

The harm caused by climate change is already a reality for many working people. Without adequate Just Transition measures, millions of workers will get sick and die.

To counter this, climate policies must include labour rights, universal social protection and skills development. Moreover, financing for climate action must be dramatically increased, and the spaces where climate finance is discussed must become more democratic to ensure equitable participation of all countries and stakeholders, including workers and their trade unions.

There are no jobs on a dead planet. Trade unions are ready to lead the way for climate action.

Our priorities on SDG 13: Climate action

• Introduce Just Transition measures based on social dialogue in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Implement the Work Programme on Just Transition Pathways adopted at COP28.
• Deliver on adaptation needs through robust social protection plans.
• Step up international climate finance for developing countries, with accountability mechanisms for sustainable and green investments.
• Promote social dialogue to align the New Collective Quantified Goal with Just Transition principles.

Read our Position Paper to the HLPF 2024

SDG 16: TRADE UNIONS FIGHT FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES

"Strong democracies require a New Social Contract, and social dialogue is key to ensure trade union participation in decision-making that builds a sustainable development based on peace and social justice." Luc Triangle, ITUC General Secretary

Inclusive, peaceful, and democratic societies uphold labour rights. They acknowledge the importance of freedom of association, collective bargaining and social dialogue as pillars of social justice. And they value the positive contribution of women in building sustainable peace.

Trade unions know that workers are always amongst the first to suffer from the effects of exclusion, war and totalitarianism. We champion a development model that promotes democratic governance and includes workers when drafting, implementing and monitoring policies. To achieve this, we must address the root causes of all forms of violence, promote disarmament, and redirect investments from weapons to policies that put people and the planet first.

Trade unions are ready to lead the way in building inclusive, peaceful, and democratic societies for all.

Our priorities on SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, and on SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goals

• Uphold labour rights and social dialogue as pillars to peace and democratic processes.
• Engage social partners in all sustainable development policy-making processes.
• Advocate for labour courts and access to legal aid on labour matters.
• Set a 50 per cent goal for women’s participation at all levels of international peace and security initiatives.
• Enhance international law on disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, and the arms trade.
• Build a renewed multilateralism based on social dialogue and democracy to promote social justice.

Read our Position Paper to the HLPF 2024

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This campaign receives the financial assistance of the European Union. Its content, however, is the sole responsibility of the ITUC and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.