Welcome to the United Nations
Trade Unions’ vision on the Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda is premised on the recognition of a mutual dependence of environmental, economic and social sustainability. Together with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, it provides the framework for achieving sustainable and resilient societies. The perspective of workers and trade unions is aligned with this holistic vision. A rights-based approach is a requisite for achieving sustainable development. Labour standards must be guaranteed for all. Upholding freedom of association and collective bargaining rights and supporting social dialogue (between workers’ and employers’ representative organisations and governments) as a governance instrument does not only deliver progress for working people and societies at large but it is also a pillar of functional democracies.
The Just Transition to achieve environmentally, socially and economically sustainable energy and production patterns (Goals 7 and 12)
The “Just Transition” is premised on an inclusive approach that brings together workers, communities, employers and governments in social dialogue to drive the concrete plans, policies and investments needed for a fast and fair transformation towards a low carbon economy. It adopts a rights-based approach to build social protection systems, provide skills training, redeployment, labour market policies and community development. Governments must strengthen their capacity to deliver just transition measures.
Responsible and sustainable investments – quality public services and resource mobilisation (Goals 6 and 11)
Trade unions highlight the risks associated to the privatisation of common goods and public services. In particular, the challenges that public-private partnerships raise with regards to transparency and the limits they impose on people’s access to the goods and services needed to ensure that they are not left behind, raise major questions about their capacity to realise the Sustainable Development Goals.
Taxes are the most important source of public financing. It is important to note that central governments have a key role to play in ensuring that local governments have sufficient public revenues to provide quality water and sanitation services. As such, sustainable publicly financed water and sanitation systems rely heavily on strong commitments from central governments.
Responsible and sustainable investments – private finance for public sustainability (Goals 12 and 15)
Governments must ensure business accountability and transparency in investments and due diligence throughout global supply chains as well as address problems associated with the operations of offshore finance and tax havens. Corporations must respect human rights, contribute to the formalisation of the informal economy, uphold the ILO’s core labour standards and practice the ‘due diligence’ prescribed by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy.
