Development NGOs and Labor Unions: Terms of Engagement

by Deborah Eade (Editor), Alan Leather (Editor)

* Contains essays from international labor lawyers, trade unionists, NGO campaigners, corporate-watchers, scholars, and activists* Includes perspectives from diverse groups including the Development Policy Centre, Nigeria; the Nike Watch Campaign; Union Aid Abroad; Social Accountability International; Women Working Worldwide; PSI Research Unit; War on Want; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; and the Workers Educational Association* Case studies from Iran, the Ukraine, Nigeria, and the South PacificDvelopment NGOs and labor unions have much to gain from collaborating in the pursuit of a social justice and rights agenda, yet the two sectors have traditionally tended to operate independently of one another. The "another world is possible" movement; a continuing series of anti-globalization protests; and conflicting views on core labor standards, corporate codes of conduct, and theWTO have placed civil society organizations at the center of public debates on global governance.While NGOs and unions will naturally pursue diverse strategies and tactics, neither sector can afford to go it alone. The essays collected in this volume elucidate some of the underlying tensions between trade unions and NGOs and illustrate the scope for constructive and respectful dialogue -- and potential partnership -- between them.

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2005