About TUAC - TUAC

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Staff

Affiliates

The Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is the interface for trade unions with the Organisation and its members. It is an international trade union with consultative status at the OECD. TUAC coordinates and represents the views of the labour movement throughout the Organisation, including at the annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting and in OECD Committees and Working Groups.

TUAC has 59 affiliated trade union centres in OECD countries, representing more than 58 million workers in 2018, as well as associate members in Brazil, Indonesia, the Russian Federation and South Africa. TUAC operates through its Paris-based secretariat. TUAC’s origins go back to 1948 to the trade union advisory committee established under the Marshall Plan. When the OECD was created in 1962, TUAC continued its work of representing organised labour’s views.

TUAC’s policy advocacy aims at creating shared prosperity within and between countries, including quality jobs, and to asserting the positive role of trade unions and collective bargaining in achieving inclusive growth. Access to OECD discussions enables TUAC to act as a “first mover” within the labour movement in responding to new and emerging policy challenges.

TUAC works closely with other international trade unions, including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), with which it co-ordinates trade union inputs to the G20 (through the Labour 20) and G7 processes, and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). On sector specific issues TUAC works with the Global Union Federations (GUFs) and is a member of the Council of Global Unions.

Conveying Trade Union Positions

An annual meeting of the TUAC/ OECD Liaison Committee is organised with members of the OECD Council and the OECD Secretariat to allow for exchanges on future policy priorities and recommendations. TUAC releases a statement for, and attends, the annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. It also submits policy evaluations to the OECD Council throughout the year. Trade union representatives participate in over 60 OECD bodies (OECD Committees and Working Groups) and policy events.

Facilitating Policy Dialogue

TUAC’s consultative status at the OECD enables an ongoing social dialogue. On average, over 500 trade union representatives take part in TUAC and OECD meetings each year.

Disseminating OECD Policies

TUAC briefs affiliates on current OECD projects and policies on an ongoing basis and coordinates policy statements and evaluates the outcomes of OECD meetings and publications. The TUAC secretariat regularly presents OECD policy issues at trade union and other external meetings.

Convening Meetings

TUAC has three standing Working Groups – Economic Policy, Responsible Business Conduct, and Education and Training – as well as several ad-hoc policy groups. The Working Groups prepare TUAC positions for TUAC’s biannual membership meetings (Plenary Sessions), as well as for consultations with the OECD. Working Groups are open to all affiliates, international trade unions and TUAC partner organisations. In addition, other hoc meetings are held to address specific topics.

Organisational Structure

The President, Vice-Presidents and the General Secretary are elected for four-year renewable terms.

Acting President

Marc Leemans

President CSC

Vice Presidents

Lizette Risgaard

President of FH, Danish Trade Union Confederation

Naoto Ohmi

General Secretary RENGO

Pierre Habbard

General Secretary

Overall responsibility for the TUAC Secretariat and relations with affiliates, the OECD, ETUC, Global Unions / G20/G7

Languages: English, French

Formal decision-making structure

Plenary Session

The TUAC Plenary Session is the official decision-making body. It meets twice a year and gathers TUAC affiliates and representatives of other international trade unions. The Plenary Session discusses and approves policy statements, the work programme, budget, and future priorities. It also elects TUAC Officers.

Administrative Committee

The Plenary Session is supported by the Administrative Committee, which is in charge of overseeing the management of TUAC. The Administrative Committee comprises the President, Vice-Presidents and the General Secretary, as well as its members which are currently from the following organisations: AFL-CIO, USA; CSC, Belgium; RENGO, Japan; ASÍ, Iceland (on behalf of the Council of Nordic Trade Unions); TUC, United Kingdom; DGB, Germany; CFDT, France; Cgt-Force Ouvrière, France; UIL, Italy; ÖGB, Austria; and CLC, Canada.

The Working Groups

The TUAC has three standing Working Groups respectively on Economic Policy, on Education and Skills and on Multinational Enterprises to help shape the TUAC policy advocacy and policy analysis at the OECD. The WG also serve broader purposes for the labour movement, incuding serving as internal trade union forums for policy discussion in close partnership with other international trade union organisations. The chairs and vice-chairs are appointed by the Plenary upon recommendation by the Adminsitrative Committee.

The Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD is an interface for trade unions with the OECD. It is an international trade union organisation which has consultative status with the OECD and its various committees.

Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD
1, rue Viala
75015 PARIS – FRANCE
Tel: (33) 01 55 37 37 37
Fax: (33) 01 47 54 98 28
tuac@tuac.org