A global union federation (GUF) is an international federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic tradition described as international trade secretariats (ITS),[1] while those in the Christian democratic tradition described themselves as international trade federations. Equivalent sectoral bodies linked to the World Federation of Trade Unions described themselves as Trade Union Internationals.

Many unions are members of one or more global union federations, relevant to the sectors where they have their members. Individual unions may also be affiliated to a national trade union centre, which in turn can be affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) or the WFTU.

Current federations

Federation Acronym Headquarters Present[a] Ref.
Building and Wood Workers' International BWI Geneva 2005 [2]
Education International EI Brussels 1992 [3]
Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations FICSA Geneva 1952
FIFPro FIFPro Hoofddoorp 1965
IndustriALL Global Union IndustriAll Geneva 2012
International Affiliation of Writers' Guilds IAWG Toronto 1986
International Arts and Entertainment Alliance IAEA Brussels 1997
International Domestic Workers Federation IDWF Hong Kong 2013 [4]
International Federation of Actors FIA Brussels 1952
International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations IFALPA Montreal 1948
International Federation of Automatic Control IFAC Laxenburg 1956 [5]
International Federation of Journalists IFJ Brussels 1926 [6]
International Federation of Musicians FIM Paris 1948
International Transport Workers' Federation ITF London 1896 [7]
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations IUF Geneva 1920 [8]
Public Services International PSI Ferney-Voltaire 1907 [7]
UNI Global Union UNI Nyon 2000 [9]

Former secretariats

Federation Acronym Founded Dissolved Fate Ref
Carpenters' International 1903 1925 Merged into IFBWW [10]
Communications International CI 1920 2000 Merged into UNI [9]
International Agitation Commission of Carvers 1895 1919 Merged into IUW
International Commission for Railwaymen 1893 1898 Merged into ITF [7]
International Commercial Employees' Secretariat 1909 1914 Dissolved
International Committee of Entertainment and Media Unions ICEMU 1992 2000 Dormant [9][11]
International Confederation of Musicians ICM 1904 1920s Dissolved
International Federation of Bookbinders and Kindred Trades 1907 1949 Merged into IGF [9]
International Federation of Bakery Workers 1907 1920 Merged into IUF [8]
International Federation of Brewery Workers 1896 1920 Merged into IUF [8]
International Federation of Building and Wood Workers IFBWW 1934 2005 Merged into BWI [2][10]
International Federation of Building Workers IFBW 1903 1934 Merged into IFBWW [10]
International Federation of Chemical and General Workers' Unions ICEF 1907 1995 Merged into ICEM [12]
International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions ICEM 1995 2012 Merged into IndustriALL [12][citation needed]
International Federation of Civil Servants 1925 1935 Merged into PSI [7]
International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees FIET 1921 1999 Merged into UNI [9]
International Federation of Enginemen and Firemen 1927 1939 Dissolved
International Federation of Foundry Workers IFF 1949 1954 Dissolved
International Federation of Free Teachers' Unions IFFTU 1951 1992 Merged into EI [3]
International Federation of Furriers 1894 1925 Merged into IGWF [13]
International Federation of Glass Workers 1908 1930s Dissolved
International Federation of Lithographers, Lithographic Printers and Kindred Trades 1897 1949 Merged into IGF [9]
International Federation of Meat Workers 1913 1920 Merged into IUF [8]
International Federation of Petroleum and Chemical Workers IFPCW 1954 1976 Dissolved [12]
International Federation of Plantation and Agricultural Workers IFPAW 1960 1994 Merged into IUF [8]
International Federation of Pottery Workers IFPW 1905 1935 Merged into ICEF [12][14]
International Federation of Saddlers' Unions 1906 1921 Merged into the ISLWF [13]
International Federation of Secondary Teachers FIPESO 1912 1993 Merged into EI
International Federation of Teachers' Associations IFTA 1926 1993 Merged into EI
International Federation of Textile Workers' Associations IFTWA 1893 1960 Merged into ITGWF
International Federation of Tobacco Workers IFTW 1889 1958 Merged into PWIF
International Federation of Trade Unions of Audio-Visual Workers FISTAV 1974 1993 Merged into MEI
International Federation of Variety Artists IFVA 1952 1970 Merged into FIA
International Garment Workers' Federation IGWF 1893 1960 Merged into ITGWF [13]
International Graphical Federation IGF 1949 2000 Merged into UNI [9]
International Landworkers' Federation ILF 1920 1960 Merged into IFPAW
International Mercantile Marine Officers' Association IMMOA 1926 1965 Merged into ITF
International Metalworkers' Federation IMF 1893 2012 Merged into IndustriALL [10][citation needed]
International Seafarers' Federation ISF 1918 1930s Dissolved
International Secretariat of Arts, Communications, Media and Entertainment Trade Unions ISETU 1965 1993 Merged into MEI [9]
International Secretariat of Foundry Workers 1898 1904 Merged into IMF [10]
International Secretariat of the Glass Workers IGWU 1892 1900 Dissolved [12][15]
International Secretariat of Painters and Allied Trades 1911 1946 Merged into IFBWW [10]
International Secretariat of Potters 1907 1922 Merged into IFBW
International Secretariat of Stone Workers 1903 1946 Merged into IFBWW [10]
International Secretariat of Stone Setters 1904 1923 Merged into ISSM
International Shoe and Leather Workers' Federation ISLWF 1907 1970 Merged into ITGLWF [13]
International Textile and Garment Workers' Federation ITGWF 1960 1970 Merged into ITGLWF [13]
International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation ITGLWF 1970 2012 Merged into IndustriALL [13][citation needed]
International Typographers' Secretariat ITS 1889 1949 Merged into IGF [9]
International Union of Hatters 1900 1939 Dissolved
International Union of Hairdressers 1907 1939 Dissolved [9][citation needed]
International Union of Hotel, Restaurant and Bar Workers IUHR 1908 1961 Merged into IUF [8]
International Union of Leather Workers 1891 1921 Merged into the ISLWF [13]
International Union of Wood Workers IUW 1904 1934 Merged into IFBWW [10]
Media and Entertainment International MEI 1993 2000 Merged into UNI [9]
Plantation Workers International Federation PWIF 1957 1960 Merged into IFPAW [8]
Miners' International Federation MIF 1890 1995 Merged into ICEM [12]
Teachers' International Trade Secretariat ITST 1927 1946 Merged into FISE
Universal Alliance of Diamond Workers UADW 1905 2000 Merged into ICEM [12]
World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession WCOTP 1951 1992 Merged into EI [3]
World Confederation of Teachers WCT 1963 2007 Merged into EI [citation needed]
World Federation of Building and Woodworkers' Unions WFBW 1937 2005 Merged into BWI [2][16]
World Federation of Industry Workers WFIW 1985 2007 Merged into ICEM
World Organisation of the Teaching Profession WOTP 1923 1951 Merged into WCOTP

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Indicates year current name adopted

Citations

  1. ^ Rojot 2006, p. 258.
  2. ^ a b c Chen 2005, p. 81.
  3. ^ a b c Gries 2001, p. 86.
  4. ^ Fish, Jennifer (2017). Domestic Workers of the World Unite! A Global Movement for Dignity and Human Rights. New York: NYU Press.
  5. ^ "Secretariat". International Federation of Automatic Control. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. ^ Gries 2001, p. 88
  7. ^ a b c d Gries 2001, p. 89
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Gries 2001, p. 91
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gries 2001, p. 92-93
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Gries 2001, p. 90.
  11. ^ UIA 1999, online.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Gries 2001, p. 87.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Gries 2001, pp. 88–89.
  14. ^ BurchillRoss 1977, p. 186.
  15. ^ Sassenbach 1926, p. 102.
  16. ^ UIA 2006, online.

Sources

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