Earlier, we attended the Global Labour School organised by the Global Labour Institute (GLI). More than 100 trade unionists from over 30 countries shared their experience dealing with the challenges of the labour rights movement. The training theme was ‘Reconstructing the labour rights movement for young trade union leaders’, and we discussed a wide range of topics, including the youth and labour rights movement, the women’s movement, totalitarianism, and environmental protection. Trade unionists shared their frontline experiences. Activists working for community development, environmental protection, women’s rights, and student organisations provided vital insights.
While working from home has become a popular trend and the platform economy is expanding, trade unionists face challenges in reaching out to workers. New engagement strategies are needed; campaigning for labour rights in different social movements becomes a topic of discussion during the programme. And a trade unionist who supports ‘Just Transition’ stated, ‘No job on a dead planet’, warning us about the catastrophic consequences of climate change on labour protection and showing the closed relation between labour rights and environmental protection. We discovered that the trade union movement does not only promote internationalism but also supports women’s rights, youth rights, environmental protection, and anti-totalitarianism.
The three-day exchanges were rewarding and can also be applied to our future work advocating for labour rights in Hong Kong.