Improving international trade and recapping the labor movements’ 2023

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond appeared on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, where he discussed his work with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and what the labor movement is doing to capitalize on union victories.

Redmond returned from an ITUC meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. The ITUC represents 191 million workers in 167 countries and territories and has 337 national affiliates. Its main focus areas include trade union and human rights, economy, society and the workplace, equality and non-discrimination and international solidarity. The ITUC is split into regional organizations – the Asia-Pacific Regional Organisation (ITUC-AP), the African Regional Organisation (ITUC-AF) and the American Regional Organisation (TUCA) – and is governed by four-yearly world congresses, a General Council and an Executive Bureau. The AFL-CIO is an affiliate of the ITUC.

He then discussed how nearly 900,000 United Auto Worker members across the U.S. celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday season with their families after earning huge wins in their new contracts. Redmond called the effects of the new contracts outstanding, as they have benefited workers. He explained how many workers now see livable wages, record retirement benefits and workplace safety standard improvements across the board. The auto industry is now set up for a just transition to the electric vehicle, and not only did these contracts improve the situation of the auto industry, but across all of organized labor.

Redmond also described the solidarity shown by workers and the increase in efforts to improve the lives of all workers. He said that the workers have finally started to fight back and earn their just share of wages. For example, if CEOs are giving themselves a 40 percent raise, then the workers should be receiving the same. Workers are using unions to leverage their employers into receiving contract improvements, and it has been a great moment for organized labor.

For more from Redmond, please play the show above.