ETU and the global movement

Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA

The Union is an active supporter of APHEDA. Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA is the global justice organisation of the Australian trade union movement.

Australian unions work globally in partnership for the achievement of dignity at work, social justice, economic equality and the realisation of human rights. We work to achieve this through strong unions and social movements, sustainable development programs, global solidarity and support in times of crisis.

Join APHEDA

In 2021, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA worked with over 40 partner unions and community organisations in 14 locations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Southern Africa. This practical solidarity strengthens the collective power of movements, communities, and workplaces to campaign for equality and justice through developing their organising skills, building their leadership skills, and expanding their campaigning capacity.

APHEDA leads the campaign across South East Asia to ban asbestos and eliminate asbestos-related diseases. We want to secure an asbestos-free future because as long as asbestos is being used anywhere, it remains a risk everywhere.

We encourage all our members to get involved with Apheda, helping workers across the world.

International Unions

The ETU is part of a global network of union federations including IndustriALL, Public Services International, Building Woodworkers International and is a founding member of the Global Power Trade Unions where we collaborate on international trends and developments. Our participation in global union forums helps us bring international pressure to bear on multinational companies through our relationships with international unions.

Building and Wood Workers’ International

The BWI is the Global Union Federation grouping free and democratic unions with members in the Building, Building Materials, Wood, Forestry and Allied sectors.

The BWI groups together around 351 trade unions representing around 12 million members in 127 countries. The Headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. Regional Offices and Project Offices are located in Panama, Malaysia, South Africa, India, Burkina Faso, Chile, Kenya, Russia, Peru and Brazil.

Their mission is to promote the development of trade unions in our sectors throughout the world and to promote and enforce workers rights in the context of sustainable development.

IndustriALL Global Union

IndustriALL Global Union represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors and is a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.

Public Services International

Public Services International is a Global Union Federation of more than 700 trade unions representing 30 million workers in 154 countries. We bring their voices to the UN, ILO, WHO and other regional and global organisations. We defend trade union and workers’ rights and fight for universal access to quality public services.

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