Promoting Labour Provisions and Decent Work In Trade and Investment Agreements

The course was designed to boost trade unions' understanding of the importance and benefits of integrating labour provisions in trade and investment agreements, enhance their capacities to develop evidence-based trade policy positions anchored on decent work and just transition principles, and enhance social dialogue at regional and national levels on trade and investment matters. This course has been a testament to the importance of trade unions in revitalizing and redefining their engagement on trade-related matters. It aligned with-and supported the ongoing ILO-ACTRAV-SASK Project which seeks to enhance trade unions' capacities to participate in trade and investment policymaking, address decent work deficits, and advocate for regional integration and targeted investments under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to promote employment and decent work.

OBJECTIVES

The pedagogical outcomes included:

i. Addressing the inclusion of labour provisions, decent work, and just principles in trade and investment policy and practice and more specifically on the AfCFTA, guided by the International Labour Standards, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future of trade and investment agreements;

ii. Development of a trade union strategy and roadmap with key proposals that take workers' concerns into account in both current and future trade and investment negotiations and agreements;

iii. Leveraging potential avenues for engagement;

iv. Building and sustaining vibrant and compelling trade union experts and a network able to engage effectively and meaningfully, and monitor the unfolding developments of the AfCFTA and other national and regional trade and investment agreements.

CONTENT

The course was structured around the following weekly modules:

• Module 1. Course Orientation and Conceptual Frameworks

• Module 2. Promotion of Labour Provisions, Decent Work, and Just Principles in the AFCFTA

• Module 3: Trade Union Actions, Responses, and Knowledge Sharing

• Module 4: Strengthening Social Dialogue and Developing a Roadmap For Action

NUMBER OF HOURS: 32