Far East Journal of Psychology and Business Vol.

1 No 1, December 2010

ROLE OF LABOR UNIONS BEYOND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Dr. Muhammad Tariq Khan

Assistant Professor, Department of Management Sciences
Hazara University Mansehra (Hazara), Pakistan
E-mail: tariq_phd@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

According to definition of labor unions, they have always been attributed with securing financial
and non-financial benefits for their members through collective bargaining. But unions have also
been playing role beyond collective bargaining for society in: protection of environment and
climatic change, energy planning and management, sustainable development and public health,
alleviation of poverty, and providing training and education services to worker,. In this literal
research article those aspects of labor unions have been exposed which are beyond collective
bargaining.

Keywords: Labor Unions, Environment, Energy Planning, Sustainable Development, Public

Health, Poverty, Training
Paper Type: Review Research

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INTRODUCTION

According to ‘World Labor Report 1997-1998’ of ILO, The Australian Bureau of Statistics has
defined unions as: “An organization, consisting predominantly of employees, the principle
activities of which include the negotiation of pay and conditions of employment for its
Members”. Buchmueller et al (1999) expressed that the role of US trade unions in obtaining
health and welfare benefits for their members, dates to the 18th century and according to Munts
(1967) earlier union organizations were established for the provision of health and welfare
benefits and later on they became engaged in bargaining with employers over wages. According
to Knowles and Eade (n.d.) the core business of labor unions is to organize press for fair terms
and conditions of work, negotiate on behalf of the work force, provide services for members,
network, and mobilize them.

So trade unions are considered the organizations only struggling to secure benefits for their
members, such as financial gains like rise of wages, bonuses, various allowances insurance
benefits, overtime payment and non financial benefits such as job security, comfortable work
place recreational facilities and decreasing fear of employer through collective bargaining. But
several studies have shown that unions also have beyond collective bargaining role such as role
for environment, energy management, role in politics and law making, public health,
productivity and efficiency improvement social role in poverty alleviation and disasters like
earthquakes. Participants of conference on sustainable development (CSD 2001) admitted that
trade unions have taken an active role in other international fora on sustainable development
issues, including: the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),
European Union (EU), Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Health Organization
(WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Labor Organization (ILO), and the
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and unions want to cooperate with local and
national governments, other Major Groups, and international agencies to bring about patterns of
decision-making that are consistent with the goals of sustainable development.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research article has been developed on descriptive secondary information obtained from
research literature about labor unions in protection of environment, management of energy,
alleviation of poverty, public health and safety and struggle for education and awareness
throughout the world.

ROLE OF LABOR UNIONS BEYOND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Unions’ Role for Environment and Climate Change

Labor unions in some countries exerted efforts for improvement and protection of environment.
According to CSD (1998) National trade union centers in Ghana, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Zambia,
Tanzania, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, among others, have
developed policies and action plans on environmentally sustainable development priority issues.
In Spain trade unions participated in coalition to present action plan on climate change. In Italy
three trade union organizations discussed with local organizations and residents about

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establishing an inter-regional park to promote tourism, improve agricultural practices and

stimulate local industry, whilst saving and cleaning up the environment. Following meetings and
discussions, an accord was reached on an organizational structure to set up the park. In UK
Transport & General Workers' Union and the General and Municipal Workers'

Union arranged a meeting between senior managers and Greenpeace to introduce an acid
recycling plant to solve the problem of discharge of harmful chemical waste.

Discussants of CSD (2001) quoted in detail example of Japan, Spain and Germany. Japanese
Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO) has initiated a nation-wide program to educate
workers and encourage them to adopt more environment-friendly patterns. Unions have planned,
implemented, evaluated and reviewed initiatives, to reduce energy consumption and waste by
developing committee structures and educational programs, holding clean-up campaigns in the
community, to encourage sustainable behavior and promoting a general understanding of
environmental issues. As a second stage, the programme is directing attention to domestic
behavior, by encouraging family ‘eco-meetings’, specific measures to conserve water and
energy, and encourage family purchasing which looks for environmentally-friendly products and
eco-labels. UGT (Union Generale de Trabajadores) in Spain has applied research into
environmental problems to introduce a sustainable development strategy, discussed its impact on
specific industrial areas, and effective ways to bring about change in both community and
workplace. It examines the economic impact of these problems on specific industrial areas, and
upon employment. Finally, it examines the various ways in which trade unionists can employ
legal and trade union instruments to bring about change, both in the state of the environment, and
in workplace culture. Similarly in Germany unions are collaborating with government and
employers’ federations in a programme of building renovation to contribute to climate protection
and sustainable jobs. The Alliance for Labour and Ecology for the Energetic Renovation of
Buildings aims to renovate 300,000 flats, creating 200,000 jobs, reducing both CO2 (Carbon
dioxide) emissions and the oil bill of tenants and landlords and the state.

According to World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) in Romania, the

National Free Trade Union Confederation of Romania-Brotherhood (CNSLR-FRATIA) joined a
broad local coalition to reduce pollution and in Guatemala, Kenya, and Thailand the
International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers (IUF) worked with pesticide companies to
assess the Global Crop Protection Federation’s Safe Use Projects (SUP) and the Conservation,
Hotels, Domestic and Allied Workers Union in Tanzania worked for environmental management
and for better working conditions for a sustainable tourism industry.

Discussants of United Nations Framework Convention on Climatic Change UNFCCC (2006)

quoted the examples of unions of Spain, Argentina and Belgium in contribution for environment.
In Spain in 2006, the first round of the Social Dialogue Tables was held with representatives of
the Spanish trade union confederations, business organizations, along with environment, labour
and industry Ministries, wherein, parties assessed the first year positive results of the compliance
for the industrial sectors with the National Allocation Plan (NAP). Seven follow up Dialogue
Tables were then organized, one for each industrial sector, for the purposes of reviewing the
mandatory green house gases (GHG) emissions’ reduction in the NAP. In Argentina trade unions
& government reached on a ‘Sustainable Development Agreement’. At the end of June 2005 the

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‘Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT)’ signed an agreement with the national government
of Argentina to jointly implement agreed measures that would address environmental issues.
CGT and its affiliates hosted first workshop on "The World of Work and Sustainable
Development" to design an initial programme of action, with a particular emphasis on the
environment and planned five regional meetings where trade union leaders and representatives
from the government, social movements and international organizations had to discuss ways of
including environmental provisions within collective agreements, links to decent jobs policies
and legal frameworks for the environment at the workplace, among other issues. The meetings
aimed to provide conclusions and commitments, based on sectoral and regional realities, as a
basis for the first “Environmental Commitment” between the government and workers. In
Belgium government along with Belgian Trade Unions, has shown how flexible mechanisms can
be made to support social and employment policy. According to UNFCCC under the rules for the
2008-2012 year period, Belgium must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% (compared to
their 1990 levels). To do so it has incorporated a set of social criteria within the terms of its call-
for-tenders to purchase greenhouse gas emission quotas thereby following recommendations of a
technical committee composed of government, trade union, employer and NGO representatives.
Through the implementation of the flexible mechanisms policy makers must truly seek a balance
between economic, environmental and social impacts. Trade Unions therefore call on
governments to legislate new statutory rights that are prerequisites to full participation, i.e., time
off and training to carry out duties for environmental representatives, revision of employment
rights regulations to formally recognize environmental duties and provide for paid release,
among others.

According to CSD (2001) the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has provided a
blueprint for measures to integrate labour market issues into government support for alternative
production measures: promotion of new and cleaner technology through taxation and other
measures; introduction of eco-labels for clean production; development of eco-efficiency
indicators; support for research and development of new and cleaner technology; reduction of
obstacles for entrepreneurs of environmental technology; provision of training for eco-
entrepreneurs and self-employed; training for workers in environmentally-friendly production;
participation of workers in introduction of new, cleaner production; adaptation of organization of
work to environmentally friendly production; and further development of ecological
management instruments such as the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).

UNFCCC (2006) also reported that European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is leading a
group of organizations and governments composed of the French consultancy SYNDEX, the
German Wuppertal Institute, the Spanish institute ISTAS and the Italian institute Sind Nova
conducting a study on the implications of climate change and CO2 reduction, policies for
employment and economic activity in 11 EU countries.

The project is co-financed by the European Commission and Belgium, Finland, France, Italy,
Spain and the U.K. The main objective is to explore how employment, qualifications and
vocational training can contribute to a transition towards a low-carbon EU economy, which is
fair from the workers' point of view. In addition, the purpose is to promote dialogue about
employment and climate change among actors and social partners, within sectors, countries and
the EU region.

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According to discussants of UNFCCC trade unions called on governments to facilitate the

development of such measures by placing climate change within a sustainable development
framework which integrates national development and poverty reduction strategies with other
environmental priorities; e.g. biodiversity and desertification. Such planning must also be linked
to mitigation and adaptation policies, including those for vulnerable groups (i.e. the poor, youth,
the unemployed, those who will suffer for their dependency on fossil fuels) because they affect
their access to energy, water, sanitation, agriculture, health, education, transport and disaster
prevention, etc.

According to proceedings of CSD (2001) representatives of trade unions i.e. International

Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the
OECD (TUAC) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and representatives of
business, at a Climate Change Conference pledged to work together to obtain recognition by
world governments of the need for research into employment implications of climate change or
measures to mitigate its effects.

UNFCCC (2006) revealed that the Spanish good practice provides a good example of effective
worker and Trade Union participation on climate change decision- making. Spanish
Government, Unions & Business community Created Tripartite Climate Change Plan in 2005. A
trend-setting agreement, to institutionalize joint oversight of national compliance to the Kyoto
Protocol was adopted by the Spanish government, along with the leading trade union and
business organizations in the country. Trade unions urged COP12 (12th Conference of the Parties
for UNFCCC) to move forward on the policies: (#1) Promote analysis, discussion and action on
employment consequences of climate change policies and consequent events. A joint trade union
study on employment consequences of climate change policies in Europe should be employed as
a model for other regions. (#2) Ensure trade union participation, in decision-making, as the
involvement of workers is essential to the sustainability of climate change policies affecting both
production and consumption. (#3) To target workplaces as consumers of energy, and other
resources and generators of wastes linking clear workplace targets, for energy efficiency and
waste minimization, to sectoral and national carbon and waste reduction strategies. (#4)
Encourage public investment to support a long-term shift in energy policy, towards sustainable
labour-intensive energy solutions.

In UK a joint government-trade union committee is working through a wide range of strategic

policy issues to tackle climate change. For the unions, a key issue is to strengthen union
engagement, both in the workplace and at a strategic policy level covering energy and climate
change issues. The Green workplaces Project, had key aspects including: designing training
courses, setting up frameworks for negotiating and representing members on environmental
issues, and developing pilot projects which can be built on in future years. The project is based
on the principle that union involvement is crucial both in pushing management to take urgent
action on climate change, encouraging behavior change amongst the workforce, and taking
collective action to tackle climate change through workplace action. The Trade Unions
Sustainable Development Advisory Committee (TUSDAC) was set up in 1998 published a
consultation report, Greening the Workplace (in 2005) and a new 10-points guide for union
activists (in 2006) (UNFCCC 2006)

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Energy, Resources Planning and Management

Energy is a basic requirement for personal, community and industrial life, but today it is beyond
the reach of millions of the world’s people, while on the other side of a ‘Global Divide’, levels of
use are threatening the natural and human environment (e.g., global climate change) (WSSD,
2002).

According to CSD (1998) in Spain The trade union centre, Confederacion Sindical de
Comisiones Obreras, led a co-ordinated effort by trade unions, industry, environmental
organizations, academics, researchers and consumer and citizens' organizations to draft and
present a common proposal for an Action Plan on Climate Change to the Spanish Government
with specific measures to be developed as part of the National Plan, including: Promotion of
energy efficiency and renewable energy, Limitations of emissions in transportation,
Development and implementation of clean technologies in industry, Promotion of sustainable
forms of agriculture and limiting emissions from waste treatment. In United Kingdom at a Coca
Cola-Schweppes Beverages plant, unions lent support to a programme that produced significant
reductions in the use of energy, water and materials.

Discussants of WSSD (2002) expressed that in Germany, trade unions collaborated with
government, employers, and NGO’s in alliance for 'Work and Environment' in a National Plan to
conserve energy and reduce CO 2 emissions. Trade unions joined a broad-based community
campaign in Zaragoza, Spain to show that water savings are possible. Trade unions have worked
with employers and community partners to plan and implement strategies to limit private car use
and to promote efficient, comfortable and cheap public transport. In Barbados, the Barbados
Workers' Union (BWU collaborated with government agencies and NGO’s on a number of
specific projects to rehabilitate tourist locations suffering from abuse and inattention. In
Argentina, the National Civil Personnel Union (MUPCN) launched a reforestation project with
the National Civil Personnel Mutual, to recycle CO2, create employment and add retirement
funds to workers' pension earnings and in Ghana, the Timber and Wood Workers Union (TWU)
established a nursery and tree plantation as a showplace and training ground for good forest
practices.

According to UNFCCC (2006) German & Belgian trade unions work with their governments on
Energy Planning & Conservation. The Belgian government established an energy conservation
fund for the housing sector planed and proposed by the Fédération Générale du Travail de
Belgique (FGTB) aimed to help households to invest in energy efficiency, specially focusing on
social groups for which the fund will provide pre-financing and support during the preparation,
execution and maintenance stages of the energy saving projects provided by the investments.
This Belgian proposal was inspired by a very significant experience developed in Germany,
where the national trade union centre (DGB) with the German unions are collaborating with
government, environmental NGO’s and employers’ federations in a programme to renovate
buildings, contributing to climate protection, whilst creating sustainable jobs. In United Kingdom
Trade Unions Congress (TUC) developed workplace-based projects to raise awareness of climate
change and energy issues amongst union members. The Project Leader of Carbon Trust funded

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Green workplaces Project is working with union reps and management to measure current
energy usage and also attitudes, awareness and understanding amongst trade union members.
The project aims to use this information to target areas where there is particular scope for
measurable improvements in energy efficiency. The Trade Unions Sustainable Development
Advisory Committee (TUSDAC) has supported several new initiatives related to energy, clean
coal and transportation. Joint UK Government & Trade Union Committee adopted Twin-Track
Policy & Workplace Approaches wherein workplace-based projects were developed to raise
awareness of climate change and energy issues amongst union members.

Role for Public Health and Sustainable Development

According to CSD (2001), the tradition of union-management ‘partnerships’ for occupational

health & safety is being expanded to include sustainable development. These “partnerships”
imply that employers and workers share an interest in the overall state of the environment, and
insofar as they are based on trust, equity and transparency, can be powerful motivators for
change. Occupational health & safety toolkits are being developed to guide health and safety
activists through identification, analysis, and response to workplace problems, and are now being
‘repackaged’ to accommodate environmental concerns or activities. A workplace culture of
occupational health & safety is now being incorporated into a workplace culture of sustainable
development, as unions undertake campaigns that encourage, workers to see themselves also as
‘environmental citizens’.

UNO admitted during “World Summit on Sustainable Development” WSSD (2002) that the
world’s trade unions have formulated a position on sustainable development based on research,
interaction with members and employers. This position is distinguished by a clear focus on the
Social Dimension, and in particular, on quality employment as the key to poverty eradication and
other sustainable development priorities. According to discussants of WSSD in Bangladesh,
Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and the Philippines the Japan International Labour Foundation
(JILAF) has sponsored health and safety training programs for thousands of workers by training
trainers. Italian unions participated in multi-party agreement to protect the Mediterranean Sea by
extending safety measures on ships carrying dangerous cargoes.

UNO confessed in WSSD (2002) that since 1992, AIDS/HIV has emerged as one of the most
pressing workplace issues of our time with 23 million working people suffering from this disease
(17.5 million in 43 African countries alone). According to WSSD the ICFTU’s (International
Confederation of Free Trad Unions) African Regional Organisation (AFRO) has launched a
Five-Year Plan on AIDS focusing on workers in road & maritime transport, mining and
agricultural communities, plantations, the commerce and hotel sectors in sub-Saharan Africa.
Public Services International (PSI) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have
also launched projects on the belief that trade unions can ensure more sensitive treatment of
workers facing the disease.

ILO (2005) reported that trade unions around the world have made HIV/AIDS prevention and
care a priority area of their work by using their expertise in dealing with occupational health and
safety hazards as well as environmental concerns to fight the pandemic. The value addition of
trade unions in the fight against HIV/AIDS is that they have closer links to their members, are

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trusted by them, and can therefore easily relate to those who are infected. Trade unions are also
developing partnerships with employers, as is spelt out in the ICFTU-International Organization
of Employers (IOE) statement entitled Fighting HIV/AIDS together: A Programme for future
engagement. The Ghana Employers Association has been running its HIV/AIDS project with the
Ghana Trades Union Congress since mid-2001, and in South Africa, in the car industry, Ford has
established a well-functioning partnership with the Congress of South African Trade Unions
(COSATU)-affiliated National union of Metal and Allied Workers of South Africa on
HIV/AIDS, through the involvement of shop stewards in the company’s HIV/AIDS work. One
particular area where the trade union voice has been heard more and more is the campaign for
high quality, cheap and affordable life-saving drugs. Pressure has been put on governments to
ensure that the WTO agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPS), and intellectual provisions in regional and bilateral trade agreements, are implemented
in a manner that does not impede such access. The vulnerabilities of the poor also mean that
work-related accidents often plunge entire extended families into extreme poverty. According to
the ILO, some 2.2 million people worldwide succumb to work-related accidents or diseases
every year. Some 160 million are victims of work-related illnesses and around 270 million
occupational accidents occur annually. One can therefore appreciate the scale of the problem.
The daily grass-roots work of trade unions to ensure compliance with health and safety
regulations at work is therefore a crucial contribution to poverty reduction.

Heins (2004) reported that since UNCED labour unions have engaged in a wide range of
activities. For example, labour union members have participated in sessions of the OECD, FAO,
WHO, WTO, ILO and UNEP that address the issue of sustainable consumption and production.
Moreover, they have been involved in a large number of national and local initiatives to promote
mainly the social pillar of sustainable consumption and production. Additionally, represented by
the ICFTU they have been actively involved in the CSD mechanism since 1996 when the ICFTU
for the first time coordinated the labour union input to the CSD as a one-hour 'Day of the
workplace' session. The contribution in 1997 was a session themed as 'Trade Union Dialogue'. In
the following years labour unions' input to the CSD focused on the role of workers and unions
with respect to concrete thematic aspects of sustainable development, such as Business and
Industry (1998), Sustainable Tourism (1999), Food and Agriculture (2000) and Sustainable
Energy and Transportation (2001). Over the years not only ICFTU and TUAC participated in the
dialogue sessions with other stakeholders, but also other international unions representing
various industry sectors.

Role in Poverty Alleviation

Ebbinghaus (2002) expressed that unions use their institutionalized involvement in social policy
governance in order to advance their interests in the ongoing reform process. According to
World Bank, (1995) the struggle against poverty is intrinsic to the trade unions’ mission and they
actively engaged in poverty alleviation strategies throughout their history. While concurring that
the consequences of union activity will vary from country to country, Aidt and Tzannatos (2001),
using evidence predominantly drawn from the OECD countries, acknowledge that trade unions
can smooth the employer/employee relationship through their actions to enforce agreements, and
by providing channels for employees to voice their grievances. Moreover through policy

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dialogue, trade unions make representations to governments and international agencies, and
campaign for pro-poor policies, monitor them and promote the formulation of alternative ones.

According to (ILO 2005) the organizing work of trade unions is one key effort at poverty
eradication. The more organized the workers are, the better they can determine their own destiny,
as they best understand their own economic and political situation. ILO report further revealed
that trade unions are a crucial part of the fight against poverty and their actions contribute to the
regulation of the global economy. Trade unions together with other organizations are involved in
the ‘Global Call to Action against Poverty’, and campaigning for extended debt cancellation for
all low-income countries without IMF/World Bank structural adjustment conditionalities.
Historically, trade unions have ensured equitable redistribution of the gains from economic
growth, reducing poverty amongst the lowest wage earners through their collective bargaining
activities. Through policy dialogue, trade unions make representations to governments and
international agencies, and campaign for pro-poor policies, monitor them and promote the
formulation of alternative ones. This involves such initiatives as organizing unemployed youth in
the informal economy, organizing market women and establishing coalitions with peasant
associations. These initiatives include targeted programs aimed directly at the poor or at the
working poor, involvement in campaigns or collective bargaining in order to defend and promote
rights at work, and policy interaction at national or international levels in order to create the
conditions for poverty eradication and for pro-poor policies. The earliest benefits that United
States and United Kingdom trade unions offered included providing resources for a decent burial
and the campaign for a good public education for children.

According to Knowles and Eade (n.d.) many of the large European and North American labor
unions and global or regional union federations also raise funds from their members for aid and
development work. There are far too many to describe each one individually, but some of the
most important include AFCSME, AFL-CIO and the United Electrical, Radio and Machine
Workers of America in the United States, the Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund in Germany; the
Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging in the Netherlands; the Trade Unions Congress in the UK;
and many of the Scandinavian unions. Some of these have formed specialist development
organizations such as Norwegian People’s Aid networks and special union funds such as the
Steelworkers’ Humanity Fund, founded by the United Steelworkers of Canada, whose members
donate 40 cents a week on the basis of which co-funding from the government is leveraged,
currently running at a total of some CA$5 million annually.

Role in Training, Education and Skill Building

According to some researches unions are also taking interest in workers training, education and
skill building either pursuing government or employers to arrange training or arranging training
programs themselves to build their skill and enhance the earning capacity of workers.

Therefore Aidt & Tzannatos (2001) wrote that unionized workers tend to receive more training
than their non-unionized counterparts, especially company-related training. According to CSD
(1998) and WSSD (2002) in India ‘West Bengal Cha Mazdoor Sabha’ (union) educates its
members on the safe use of agro-chemicals and workers' rights. And the Hind Mazdur Sabha

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(HMS) Port and Dockworkers educated and organised cargo handlers in response to illegal
imports of hazardous.

Wong (2000) stated that in Singapore unions urged employers to invest in training of workers,
and also negotiated training clauses in collective agreements and sought to ensure higher
subsidies for training lower- skilled, lower-income workers. She further wrote that unions urged
workers, to enhance their skills as a means to ensure employment security by keeping pace with
changing job requirements, and to increase their earning capability in the longer term. In
December 1996 to help workers to remain employable throughout life by providing nationally
certified skill training National Trade Union Confederation approached employers to sponsor
their employees for skills upgrading programs. On 30 June 1999, a total of 288 companies had
committed 21,800 workers for Skill Redevelopment Program (SRP) programs in five general
launches and nine sectoral launches since December 1996.

According to Katz et al. (1993) in many countries unions are involved effectively in vocational
education programs. Adji (2002) reported that in Niger the USTN (Union des Syndicats des
Travailleurs du Niger) is running a project to provide low-cost training to workers. The USTN is
also running a training school and an agricultural project. According to WSSD (2002) in the
Czech Republic, the Mine, Geology and Oil Industry Workers' Union "Train the Trainers
Programme” extends awareness into the community and Russian and Norwegian unions
cooperate in the Barents Region to provide training and job experience for Russian workers,
engineers and advisers in Cleaner Production (CP) technology, waste minimization, energy
conservation, and sound ecological processes.

Mishel and Walters (2003) were of the opinion that unions also created awareness about laws
regarding health such as in USA about FMLA's existence and regulations. Booth et al. (2003)
using data of British Household Panel Survey 1991-96 found that union-covered workers were
more likely to receive training and also received more days of training relative to non-covered
workers. Among workers who received training, those with union coverage enjoyed greater
returns to training and higher wage growth than did those without. TUC (2006) in a briefing
paper reported that union presence has a significant impact on the incidence of training. Analysis
of the 2003 Labor Force which showed that 39% of union members had been engaged in some
training in the previous three months compared to only 26% of non-unionized employees. TUC
also reported that employees get more training when the issue is negotiated with employers by
unions rather than employers simply consulting with unions about the organization's training
strategy. TUC referred research by Francis Green 1996 which demonstrated that unionized
workplaces were 17% more likely to have a training centre and 11% more likely to have a
training plan. TUC referred other studies showing that training is more likely to deliver benefits
to members when unions not only secure recognition from the employers but also play an active
role in decisions about what is provided.

The participants of conference on sustainable development acknowledged that trade unions have
developed capacity for workplace centered education because unions are the foremost providers
of adult education in many countries (CSD 2001). The discussants of Regional Meeting (1999)
threw light on the potentially significant role of unions towards building social cohesion through
establishing institutions for skill development and mobilization of investable resources, and

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through the development of cooperatives aimed at the provision of housing, credit and consumer
services. Fahlbeck (1999) evidenced it by reporting that in Sweden the extensive training and
education programs conducted by virtually all unions. LO, for example, has a wide range of
educational programs and runs several schools and Anyemedu (2002) also reported that in Ghana
the TUC has made the education of the members, one of its priority concerns.

ILO (2005) reported that a number of labor unions have undertaken for education, awareness
raising and advocacy. In Colombia, in 1995, reacting to the massive wave of dismissals from
government institutions, the Women’s Bureau of the Single Confederation of Workers of
Colombia (CUT) started working out strategies designed to provide labor vocational retraining.
This gave birth to the House for Working Women Heads of Household (Casa de la Mujer
Trabajadora Jefa de Hogar), which later started to train women in non-traditional trades by
means of programs in finishing and silver plating, electrical fitting and graphic arts. Similarly
Argentina’s Sindicato Único de Trabajadores de Edificios de Rentay Horizontal (Single Trade
Union of Concierges) (SUTERH) opened the Centre for Professional Education in 1992 to
provide basic knowledge on occupational health and safety. In 1999, SUTERH established the
Higher Education Institute and currently offers Applied Computing Sciences, Security and
Hygiene at Work and Technician Degrees in Intelligent Buildings.

Unions have also given workers awareness about their rights as Mishel and Walters (2003)
quoted, that union members were about 10% more likely to have heard of the FMLA (in USA)
and understand whether or not they were eligible. This is because of awareness given to them by
unions.

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