ABSTRACT
This chapter describes and characterises the current state of the Global Union organisations. It starts by outlining some general characteristics of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Global Union Federations (GUFs), and it highlights some of the main differences between trade unions and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). The chapter provides a more detailed analysis of the structure and functioning of the ITUC, the GUFs, and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD. The latter ensures the input of the Global Union organisations into the sectoral work of the OECD. The chapter pays particular attention to the power sources and potential influence of the Global Unions at the global level.
