THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 PUBLISHED BY: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) WHO IS THIS FOR: Now in its 11th year, the Global Rights Index offers an important status report on the worldwide struggle to defend and exercise core pillars of democracy: the fundamental rights and freedoms of working people and trade unions. As it attests, there are clear signs that governments and companies are accelerating their efforts to trample on these basic rights that underpin the very nature of democracy and the rule of law. In the past year, almost nine out of 10 countries worldwide violated the right to strike, while about eight in 10 countries denied workers the right to bargain collectively for better terms and conditions. In a deeply worrying development this year, 49% of countries arbitrarily arrested or detained trade union members, up from 46% in 2023, while more than four in 10 countries denied or constrained freedom of speech or assembly. These figures and trends reinforce a global picture in which hard-won democratic rights and civil liberties are under grave and relentless attack. Trade union leaders, policy makers, human rights activists and academics will find […]

  THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: ITF Proposals for Financing Sustainable Transport  PUBLISHED BY: International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)  WHO IS THIS FOR: We need a new climate finance model for the transport sector in the Global South. Current investment levels are less than 3% of what is needed, and the current policy focus on de-risking private investment through ‘blended’ finance is not delivering. In light of the negotiations underway for a new global finance agreement, we need a specific approach for sustainable transport that includes integrated national master plans, national climate finance platforms, and respect for just transition principles that includes genuine consultation with transport workers. This document has two parts. Part one analyses the landscape of climate finance for transport in the Global South. Part two outlines ITF proposals for a new model for financing sustainable transport. Those involved in the Just Transition field, transport trade unions and researchers will find this useful. Download here ITF Proposals for Financing Sustainable Transport

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024 PUBLISHED BY: International Labour Organisation (ILO) WHO IS THIS FOR: Labour markets have shown surprising resilience despite deteriorating economic conditions, but recovery from the pandemic remains uneven as new vulnerabilities and multiple crises are eroding prospects for greater social justice.This report reveals a complex global employment scenario. It forecasts a slight increase in global unemployment in 2024, signalling emerging labour market challenges. The report highlights disparities between high and low-income countries, noting higher unemployment and poverty rates in lower-income nations. It also points out that a significant portion of the global workforce remains in informal employment. Key concerns include worsening income inequality and the impact of inflation on real incomes, especially in G20 countries. The report underscores the need for policy interventions focused on social justice to ensure a fair and sustainable global economic recovery. Download here World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2024

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: Civil Society Spotlight Report: How far is Europe from achieving the SDGs? PUBLISHED BY: SOLIDAR WHO IS THIS FOR:  The EU has the power to pass transformative laws and command the resources needed to drive the transition towards social justice and environmental sustainability. This civil society spotlight report, prepared by the civil society organisations that are members of the consortium of the REAL DEAL project and members of SDG Watch Europe, explains why the EU’s SDG reporting creates an illusion of sustainability and flags up serious gaps and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs. In addition, it and makes concrete policy proposals for bringing them to life with real stories and suggests key recommendation the EU can, with a bit of political will, easily use to create the transformation we need. Those involved in Just Transition work will find this useful. Download here Civil Society Spotlight Report: How far is Europe from achieving the SDGs?

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns  TITLE: Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2023 PUBLISHED BY: International Labour Organisation (ILO)  WHO IS THIS FOR:  This tenth edition of Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) offers the latest set of global renewable energy employment estimates, which are based on IRENA’s own methodologies and calculations, as well as a large array of reports published by government agencies, industry associations, non-governmental organisations and academic experts. IRENA launched this series to provide regular updates to its assessment of renewable energy employment worldwide. Each edition discusses the latest available data and highlights specific aspects, such as employment in the energy access context, the gender equity dimension or the requirements of a just transition. Those involved in Just Transition work will find this useful. Download here Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2023

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns  TITLE: Beyond Inclusion: A Queer Response To Climate Justice PUBLISHED BY: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)  WHO IS THIS FOR:  As climate impacts escalate and the links between climate and gender are increasingly recognised, it is timely to understand how climate change affects sexual and gender diversities and it is important to emphasise that ‘gender’ is not synonymous with women. Vulnerability to climate change is intersectional, often based on gender, race and disability, as well as sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and sex characteristics. The root causes of climate vulnerability are in who holds power and privilege and who is disadvantaged and excluded. Globally, LGBTQI+ groups continue to be marginalised in accessing rights, resources and decision-making processes. This marginalisation is made worse because LGBTQI+ groups are invisible in discussions about climate change vulnerability and impacts. This must change to ensure climate action does not perpetuate the same injustices queer people consistently face in other realms. Climate justice involves understanding the root causes of interlinked oppressions, connecting struggles for climate justice, gender justice, racial justice, intergenerational justice, disability justice and others to colonialism, capitalism and extractivism. A climate-just future also requires queer justice. Those working in the […]

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns  TITLE: World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2023 PUBLISHED BY: International Labour Organisation (ILO)  WHO IS THIS FOR: This report covers the extent and consequences of the labour market disruption caused by overlapping economic and geopolitical crises, and analyses global patterns, regional differences and outcomes across groups of workers. The report pays particular attention to the impact of the different crises on productivity, job quality and job opportunities and how these trends risk undermining social justice around the world. Those involved in policy, research, study circles and education, particularly in the adult worker educator community, will find the report useful. Download here World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2023

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE:  ILO Global Wage Report 2022-2023: The impact of inflation and Covid-19 on wages and purchasing power PUBLISHED BY: International Labour Organisation (ILO) WHO IS THIS FOR: This ILO flagship report examines the evolution of real wages, giving a unique picture of wage trends globally and by region. The 2022-23 edition also includes evidence on how wages have evolved through the COVID-19 crisis as well as how the current inflationary context is biting into real wage growth in most regions in the world. The report shows that for the first time in the twenty-first century real wage growth has fallen to negative values while, at the same time, the gap between real productivity growth and real wage growth continues to widen. The report also looks at changes in wage inequality and the gender pay gap to reveal how Covid-19 may have contributed to increasing income inequality in different regions of the world. Together, the empirical evidence in the report becomes the backbone of a policy discussion that could play a key role in a human-centred recovery from the different ongoing crises. Trade union leaders, study circles, community activists and policy makers will […]

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE:  Beware of the Bot: A critical perspective on the 4IR PUBLISHED BY: Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training (CIPSET), Nelson Mandela University WHO IS THIS FOR: The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is gaining global attention as the ‘new phase’ of development that will address a wide range of social and economic issues in societies. Like its predecessors, the 4IR is portrayed as the new era that offers opportunities to improve human lives, lead the world out of crises and toward a better future for humankind. The 4IR is associated with disruptive technologies including robotics, the internet, nanotechnologies, genomics artificial intelligence, virtual reality and many other technologies. Many activists, scholars and critics have raised critical questions about the promises of the 4IR. Is the 4IR simply the next phase of capitalist production or an epochal shift? Can it address the triadic problems of inequality, unemployment and poverty? How can it deal with the issues of race, class and gender? How will it address the ecological crisis and global warming? These are some of the key questions raised. This booklet has been written to encourage debate amongst students and communities and to […]

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE:  Let us not be slaves until we die: the lives of chokka fishers PUBLISHED BY: Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training (CIPSET), Nelson Mandela University WHO IS THIS FOR: This booklet is a collection of life histories from South African fishers gathered through in-depth interviews, analysing fishers’ payslips, conducting desk top research on the squid fishing industry; and notes from numerous meetings with the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Department of Labour, and employers. It tells the story of chokka fishers from their perspective and experiences. And while  this is the story of a group of workers within a specific industry, it is also the story of the social relations that shape the world of workers, and it talks to the role of the state in maintaining these relations. It is part of the universal story of how the exploitation of workers gives rise to the accumulation of wealth and privilege by a small elite. This booklet is for the use of community educators, self-organised community groups and trade unions that aim to build autonomous, democratic, working-class organisations. Download here Let us not be slaves until we […]

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE:  What has a polar bear got to do with me? Why respecting and saving the environment is a justice issue which affects us all PUBLISHED BY: Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training (CIPSET), Nelson Mandela University WHO IS THIS FOR: This booklet contributes to the increasing body of literature, documentaries and popular texts which call for the development of a heightened consciousness about the ecological crisis and the devastating destruction of the Earth and all its life forms. Cataclysmic disasters are becoming common testimonies of the ecological crisis and the relentless adherence to political and economic systems that are geared towards an unsustainable future and the extinction of life. These systems that are concerned with endless growth, extractivism, consumerism and technological innovation propel us into deepening ecological crises and a hastening of the annihilation of the world’s interlocking ecosystems. Study circles and community and activist groups concerned with climate justice will find this publication useful. Download here What has a polar bear got to do with me? Why respecting and saving the environment is a justice issue which affects us all

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: A Just Transition for the Global South PUBLISHED BY: SOLIDAR WHO IS THIS FOR: In this study, leaders and activists in both the Global South and North reflect on the question: “How can movement-building and alliances, citizens’ voices and social inclusion influence national policy, action and popular support for Just Transition? And what is needed to optimise the capacity of those involved?” The study is intended to inform support and learning for a Just Transition in the Global South. The Philippines and South Africa are the two focus countries. Both face severe difficulties in transitioning away from fossil fuels, as well as with the impacts of the climate crisis. Twenty respondents from trade unions, civil society, academia and political parties in these countries were interviewed, along with labour support organisations in the Global North. Political activists, trade union leaders, youth leaders and study circles, particularly those working on climate change and a just transition, will find this useful. Download here A Just Transition for the Global South

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2019 LANGUAGE: English WHO IS THIS FOR? This publication is aimed at worker educators, labour academics, researchers and trade union leaders. This report provides an overview of global and regional trends in employment, unemployment, labour force participation and productivity, as well as employment status, informal employment and working poverty. It also examines income and social developments, and provides an indicator of social unrest. A key finding is that poor job quality is a prime concern for the most of the global labour force. In addition, unemployment and labour underutilisation remain high in many countries, despite improvements in recent years.   The report also takes stock of progress with respect to targets for Sustainable Development Goal 8, which has been slower than anticipated. Download here Click here to download and read

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE:  Building Bridges not Walls: The Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report on migration, displacement and education LANGUAGE: English WHO IS THIS FOR? This publication is aimed at worker educators, labour academics, researchers and community leaders. It examines the education impact of all population movements: within and across borders, voluntary and forced, for employment and education. It also reviews progress on education in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In view of increasing diversity, the report analyses how education can build inclusive societies and help people move beyond tolerance and learn to live together. Education provided equally builds bridges; unequal provision raises walls between migrants and refugees and their host communities. Download here Click here to download and read

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: Future of Work in Sri Lanka: Shaping technology transitions for a brighter future PUBLISHED BY: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) WHO IS THIS FOR? This study will be useful for study circles, labour educators, union leaders and researchers concerned with decent work in a techno-industrial world. The world of work is undergoing a major transformation. Most scholarly attention and public anxiety has been focused on the impact of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, which typically refers to digitally-driven technologies such as artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, and robotics, among others, in the world of work. However, in many countries in the global south, earlier industrial revolutions are still unfolding. Technology trajectories and their impact on the world of work will be shaped by political and social interactions at the local level. There is currently little discussion or evidence of the impact that emerging technologies will have on the future of work in developing countries. This study attempts to fill that gap. Download here Future of Work in Sri Lanka: Shaping technology transitions for a brighter future

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: Estrategias y Herramientas de Comunicacion / Communication Strategies and Tools PUBLISHED BY: El Programa Laboral de Desarrollo (PLADES), 2014 WHO IS THIS FOR? This course is aimed at worker educators and trade union leaders. It aims to develop effective communication abilities, and is divided into six sections, including evaluation activities (forum, application exercise, content evaluation). During the course participants are expected to manage social learning networks and take advantage of the possibilities of the ICT environment.   Download here Estrategias y Herramientas de Comunicacion / Communication Strategies and Tools

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: Story of a Journey Across Europe: From First Reception to Integration of Immigrants PUBLISHED BY: Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and SOLIDAR, 2017 WHO IS THIS FOR? This publication is aimed at study circles, civil society organisations, activists and labour research units. This volume aims at providing an assessment of the different steps, difficulties and challenges that economic and humanitarian migrants must overcome during their journey across Europe, and the procedures in place from first reception on arrival to the integration in society and the labour market of asylum seekers and migrants. The three contributions of which this volume is composed focus on three case studies, Greece, Italy and Germany, and concentrate in particular on an analysis of the situation of women and minors, whose percentage among migrants (traditionally composed mainly of adult men) has steadily grown in the last couple of years, often catching largely unprepared authorities, institutions and organisations that must provide the necessary services to the new arrivals off guard. Download here Future of Work in Sri Lanka: Shaping technology transitions for a brighter futureStory of a Journey Across Europe: From First Reception to Integration of Immigrants

THEME: Mobilising for socio, economic and political campaigns TITLE: Social Protection in the Grassroots Perspective: A Training Manual WRITTEN BY: Joy Hernandez, Christal Chan, and Samuel Li Shing Hong PUBLISHED BY: Asia Monitor Resource Centre, 2017 WHO IS THIS FOR? This manual can be used by various kinds of labour organisations, including trade unions, labour NGOs and informal workers’ groups. It was developed to serve as an educational tool that grassroots organisers can use to build up workers’ awareness of social protection, and to assist them in formulating their own demands for social protection. It encourages grassroots workers to look beyond traditional definitions of social protection by examining it in the context of current oppressive economic and political structures. It is vitally important for grassroots workers to develop their own understanding around social protection based on their experiences and struggles. Download here Social Protection in the Grassroots Perspective: A Training Manual