Who Defends Democracy? Trade Unions Make Their Case at the FES Reception

Summer is always a particularly busy time in Geneva, and this year is no exception. One of the most notable annual events is the International Labor Conference (ILC), organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Every year in June, Government, Employer and Worker representatives from the 187 ILO Member States come together in Geneva to debate international labor standards and economic and social policies. Shaped by the ILO’s unique tripartite structure, the Conference serves as a forum for discussion of key social and labor questions.

For the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), the ILC represents an important opportunity to bring together delegates from the headquarter in Berlin, country offices as well as partner organizations from all over the world. On June 9^th, FES hosted its annual reception, continuing a long-standing tradition of inviting representatives from governments, international organisations, trade unions and civil society to engage in a global dialogue on workers’ rights and social democracy. 

The reception provides an opportunity to get in touch with different stakeholders, exchange ideas and network in the spirit of promoting human rights, social security and democratic principles. 

This year’s ILC focused on topics such as decent work in the platform economy, a transformative agenda for gender equality at work, as well as social dialogue and tripartism. The importance of these issues was underlined by all speakers at the FES reception, and general concern was expressed about the increase of attacks against democracy, workers’ rights and international institutions like the ILO. Renate Tenbusch, Director of FES Geneva, emphasised in her opening speech that the protection of human rights and the advancement of the international human rights system will be among the major global challenges that FES Geneva will have to face in the years to come – a task which is needed more than ever before. 

In alignment with her, Franziska Korn, Project Director of the Global Trade Union Program at FES, shed light on the important goal of protecting decent work and workers’ rights in all parts of the global value chain. Referring to the discussions on standards for the platform economy happening at the ILC, she highlighted the crucial role of the Conference, especially at a time when organisations like the ILO are under attack. She affirmed that trade unions are key players not only in the fight for a progressive, sustainable economy, but also in safeguarding democracy and peace.

Luc Triangle, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), mentioned in his speech that the trade union movement is the largest social movement in the world defending democracy and democratic values, and therefore the first target of populist authoritarian politicians attacking democratic principles. Against this backdrop, he stated that the ILO is a workers’ organisation and that the ITUC will not accept an ILO that is unable to fulfil its core mission to workers. Oliver Röpke, Director at the ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV), complemented this by emphasising that a principled international law can no longer be taken for granted. He noted that a strong response is required not only from the workers movement, but also from governments and employers – a reaffirmation that the ILC and the tripartite system are as important today as ever.