Trade unions have called on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to ensure that development cooperation policies prioritise decent work, workers’ rights, and poverty reduction.
At the Trade Union-OECD Development Assistance Committee Forum 2025, union representatives from across the world engaged with OECD DAC delegates and development experts to push for a development agenda that strengthens labour protections and economic security for workers.
International Trade Union Confederation’s Deputy General Secretary, Eric Manzi, said, “We will take these demands, set out in our statement, to the members of the OECD DAC to ensure that they are considered at the DAC High-Level Meeting and integrated into development cooperation policies.”
It noted that participants at the forum stressed that development cooperation must address inequality by promoting living wages, responsible business conduct, and strong labour market institutions.
“In a world where millions of workers remain trapped in poverty despite having a job, development cooperation must be a force for good,” Manzi added.
“That means supporting decent wages, reinforcing labour market institutions, and ensuring access to social protection. These are proven solutions to fight poverty and reduce inequality,” he added.
Also, TUAC’s General Secretary, Veronica Nilsson, echoed this stance, citing evidence that collective bargaining and robust labour institutions are essential for tackling poverty and fostering sustainable development. “We will continue to push this agenda forward at the OECD and the DAC,” she affirmed.
The forum stressed the need to formalise informal work and strengthen labour protections, as many in extreme poverty are employed.
It also highlighted the importance of aligning private-sector investments with labour standards and ensuring social protections like healthcare, pensions, and unemployment benefits for economic security.
“Trade unions vowed to keep pressuring policymakers to make development cooperation a tool for fair wages, stronger labour rights, and sustainable growth,” it noted.
