Trade Union Cooperation

Committed to the interests of all workers: Trade unions shape transformation(s) and the work of the future

African societies are confronted with comprehensive social, economic and political transformation processes. In view of the changing world of work, demographic developments, increasing urbanisation and digitalisation, the effects of climate change, the constantly growing power of multinational companies and complex regional and global value chains, there is a risk that social inequalities will continue to deepen in many countries. In order to make these processes fairer, more inclusive, peaceful and democratic, a strong and effective trade union movement is needed on the continent that can effectively engage in the workplace, in the community, in the political arena and across borders.

As an actor for social justice, however, the movement is confronted with a difficult environment worldwide, as workers' rights are often not respected or trade union rights are disregarded. For example, the right to strike is not sufficiently guaranteed in some Sub-Saharan African countries.  

The challenges on the African labour market are enormous. The employment crisis is deepening, affecting young people and women in particular. Furthermore, the global trend of precarisation of work adds to already highly informal labour markets - around 85 percent of Africans earn their living in the informal sector, where incomes fluctuate, are usually far below the official minimum wage and where access to social security systems is limited or non-existent.

At an average of 10 per cent, the level of unionisation is expandable and African trade unions are undoubtedly faced with numerous internal and external challenges. Nevertheless, they are the strongest that the weak have. Not only can trade unions look back on a long and complex history as important allies of liberation movements, for example in the context of anti-colonial struggles for independence or resistance against the apartheid regime, they also play an important role in politics in many countries today. Among civil society organisations, they are still the ones with the highest mobilisation potential and with nationwide structures. In many countries, trade unions are also involved in tripartite minimum wage negotiations or social dialogues on key political issues.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's trade union strategy in Africa 

Our advisory work for and with trade unions and the strengthening of trade union power resources aim to achieve greater justice and social dialogue with a particular focus on gender justice, to increase the strategic capability of partners and internal participation of members, to expand workers` rights and freedom of association and to shape transformation for decent work. 

In all project countries where the framework conditions allow, cooperation with sectoral trade unions, umbrella organisations or affiliated academic institutes is a pillar of our work which is connected to other objectives. Strategic alliances between trade unions and civil society play an important role, for example by "closing ranks" with the climate movement to shape a "just transition", with feminist activists or by trade unions cooperating with stakeholders or associations in the informal sector. With the support of FES, more and more trade unions are now successfully taking up the challenge of recruiting informal workers, adapting their organisational structures and presenting joint demands to decision-makers.  

Trade union cooperation at national level is complemented by a regional commitment, which is coordinated by the FES Trade Union Competence Center (TUCC), founded in 2010 and based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The TUCC supports the transnational networking of trade unions and maintains close relations with the Global Union Federations and the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), e.g. on overcoming the debt crisis or on socio-ecological transformation. The focus is on developing a trade union position based on African interests in order to shape the transition to resource-efficiente, climate-neutral and socially and gender-just economic models.

In order to combat the erosion of labour standards by multinational corporations, the TUCC promotes the establishment of transnational networks and adoption of international framework agreements. Another focus is on raising awareness of possible legal leverage for improving labour rights along global value chains, for example through the application of  German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act.

In order to strengthen the organisations and build a diverse membership base, the TUCC also promotes the integration of workers from the platform economy and other non-formal sectors to empower trade unions to shape the transformation of the world of work.

Further information on the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's international trade union work can be found in our thematic portal International Trade Union Policy.

For more information on trade union work in Sub-Saharan Africa, please visit the homepages of the country projects. Our Trade Union Monitors provide an insight into the situation of trade unions in various countries.

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