International Labor Organizations

The AFL-CIO is affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)—the worldwide union network. Based in Brussels, Belgium, the ITUC represents 175 million workers in 155 countries and territories and has 311 national affiliates. AFL-CIO President Emeritus John Sweeney serves on the Steering Committee and Executive Board of the ITUC. He also serves as the president of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Emerita Linda Chavez-Thompson is the president of the ITUC’s Inter-American Regional Organization of Workers (ORIT).

• ITUC—International Trade Union Confederation
• ICFTU—AFRO African Regional Organization
• ICFTU—APRO Asia Pacific Regional Organization
• TUAC—Trade Union Advisory Committee (to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development—OECD)
• ETUC—European Trade Union Confederation
• Global unions
• ILO—International Labor Organization
  

Global Union Federations

Ten Global Union Federations (GUFs) are the international representatives of unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Most AFL-CIO unions belong to the GUF for their sector.

• EI—Education International
• BWI—Building and Wood Workers International
• ICEM—International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions
• IFJ—International Federation of Journalists
• IMF—International Metalworkers' Federation
• ITGLWF—International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation
• ITF—International Transport Workers' Federation
• IUF—International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations
• PSI—Public Services International
• UNI—Union Network International

National Centers

Locate ICFTU affiliates by country.

Trade Union Development Cooperation

Labor unions are a fundamental institution for democracy and economic development. The following organizations support stronger unions in developing countries through training, research and advocacy programs.

• IFWEA—International Federation of Workers’ Education Associations
• Laogai Research Foundation

International Labor Support Organizations

• Border Committee of Women Workers (Mexico)
• Bureau of Workers’ Activities/ILO
• Campaign for Labor Rights
• Clean Clothes Campaign
• China Labor Bulletin
• Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee
• Human Rights for Workers
• Human Rights Watch
• International Labor Rights Fund
• International Center for Trade Union Rights
• Jobs with Justice
• Maquila Solidarity Network
• National Labor Committee
• Thai Labor Campaign
• U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project
• United Students Against Sweatshops
• Worker Rights Consortium

International Labor Research

• Asia Monitor Resource Center
• Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
• Center for Economic and Policy Research
• Economic Policy Institute
• European Industrial Relations Observatory Online
• European Trade Union Institute
• Focus on Globalization (Taiwan)
• Global Policy Network
• Global Union Research Network
  
• International Federation of Workers’ Education Associations
• Institute for Policy Studies
• Inter Trade Union Department of Statistics and Socio economic Studies-DIEESE (Brazil)
  
• International Institute of Social History
• Korean International Labor Foundation
• Laogai Research Foundation
• National Labor and Economic Development Institute (South Africa)
• Pakistan Institute for Labor Education and Research
• Public Services International Research Unit
• Research Institute for the Advancement of Living Standards (Japan)
• Social Observatory (Brazil)
• Transnational Information Exchange – Asia