This Congress Forum will consider unions responses to the interrelated global shocks that continue to have a dramatic impact on workers and their families. The historic levels of inequality, the climate crisis, Covid 19, increasing conflict and now the inflationary pressures of rising prices and declining real incomes escalated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The forum would seek to identify key priorities for trade unions for supporting a robust and inclusive recovery from the global shocks taking place, as well as the measures needed to build resilience against future shocks.

The forum will be divided into three parts: it will first look at how unions have acted to shore up many elements of a new social contract to secure quality jobs, decent wages and social protection. It will then focus in on occupational health and safety and discuss how unions have won its recognition as a fundamental right.

Finally, in a third part, it will review how trade unions have been contributing to promoting peace and democracy at both national and international levels, including conflict prevention and the reconstruction in the aftermath of conflict, and the preservation/building of democratic institutions. This forum will help us learn from each other to strengthen our approach at workplace, national and international level.