International Federation of Building and Wood Workers

International Federation of Building and Wood Workers is a global union federation that represents workers in the building and wood industries, including carpenters, electricians, and plumbers. The federation has a long history, dating back to 1901, when it was founded as the International Federation of Building Workers by trade unionists from Europe and North America, including Samuel Gompers and Karl Legien. The organization has undergone several mergers and name changes over the years, including a merger with the International Federation of Woodworkers in 1970, which was supported by International Labour Organization and United Nations. Today, the federation is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation and the European Trade Union Confederation, and works closely with other global union federations, such as the International Transport Workers' Federation and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations.

● History

The history of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers dates back to the late 19th century, when trade unionists from Europe and North America began to organize workers in the building and wood industries, including United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and National Association of House Builders. The federation was founded in 1901 as the International Federation of Building Workers, with the support of Karl Kautsky and Eduard Bernstein. Over the years, the organization has undergone several mergers and name changes, including a merger with the International Federation of Woodworkers in 1970, which was supported by Walter Reuther and George Meany. The federation has also been involved in several major international campaigns, including the International Labour Organization's campaign to eliminate child labour and the United Nations' campaign to promote sustainable development, in collaboration with Greenpeace and Amnesty International. The federation has worked closely with other global union federations, such as the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Federation of Trade Unions, to promote the rights of workers in the building and wood industries, including International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Service Employees International Union.

● Organization

The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers is a democratic organization that is governed by a congress that meets every four years, which is attended by trade unionists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, including African Trade Union Confederation and Asian Trade Union Confederation. The congress elects a president and a general secretary, who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the federation, in consultation with International Labour Organization and European Trade Union Confederation. The federation also has a number of regional organizations, including the European Regional Organization of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers and the Asian-Pacific Regional Organization of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers, which work closely with European Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The federation's headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland, and it has a number of offices around the world, including in Brussels, Belgium and Tokyo, Japan, which collaborate with United Nations Office at Geneva and International Labour Organization.

● Membership

The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers has a diverse membership that includes trade unions from over 100 countries, including United States, China, India, and Brazil, which are affiliated with AFL-CIO and Congress of South African Trade Unions. The federation's members represent a wide range of workers in the building and wood industries, including carpenters, electricians, and plumbers, as well as workers in the forestry and wood processing industries, such as International Union of Forestry Workers and Woodworkers International. The federation's members are also involved in a number of other industries, including construction, manufacturing, and services, which are represented by International Union of Construction Workers and Service Employees International Union. The federation works closely with other global union federations to promote the rights of workers in these industries, including International Transport Workers' Federation and International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations.

● Activities

The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers is involved in a number of activities to promote the rights of workers in the building and wood industries, including collective bargaining, organizing, and campaigning, in collaboration with International Labour Organization and United Nations. The federation works closely with its member unions to negotiate better wages and working conditions for workers, and to promote the use of sustainable and responsible practices in the building and wood industries, such as Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. The federation is also involved in a number of international campaigns, including the International Labour Organization's campaign to eliminate child labour and the United Nations' campaign to promote sustainable development, in partnership with Greenpeace and Amnesty International. The federation has worked with other global union federations to promote the rights of workers in the building and wood industries, including International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and World Federation of Trade Unions, as well as International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Service Employees International Union.

● International Affiliations

The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers is affiliated with a number of international organizations, including the International Trade Union Confederation and the European Trade Union Confederation, as well as International Labour Organization and United Nations. The federation works closely with these organizations to promote the rights of workers in the building and wood industries, and to promote the use of sustainable and responsible practices in these industries, in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund and International Union for Conservation of Nature. The federation is also a member of the Global Union Federations, which is a group of global union federations that work together to promote the rights of workers around the world, including International Transport Workers' Federation and International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations. The federation has worked with other global union federations to promote the rights of workers in the building and wood industries, including International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and World Federation of Trade Unions, as well as African Trade Union Confederation and Asian Trade Union Confederation.

Category:Global union federations