UNI Global Union
UNI Global Union, formerly Union Network International (UNI), is a global union federation for skills and services, gathering national and regional trade unions.
 | |
| Full name | UNI global union |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1, 2000 |
| Members | 20 million |
| Key people | Ruben Cortina, President Christy Hoffman, General Secretary |
| Office location | Nyon, Switzerland |
| Country | International |
| Website | www.uniglobalunion.org |
Based in Nyon, Switzerland, UNI Global Union represents more than 20 million workers from over 150 different countries in the fastest growing sectors in the world – skills and services. A total of 90% of new jobs are expected to be in these sectors in the next decade. UNI and our affiliates in all regions are driven by the responsibility to ensure these jobs are decent and workers’ rights are protected, including the right to join a union and collective bargaining.
Through its Sector Global Unions, UNI represents workers in Cleaning and Security, Commerce, Finance, Gaming, Graphical and Packaging, Hair and Beauty, Information, Communication, Technology and Services Industry (ICTS), Media, Entertainment and Arts, Post and Logistics, Private Care and Social Insurance, Sport, Temp and Agency workers, and Tourism industries as well as Professionals and Managers, Women and Youth.
UNI have agreed over 50 Global Agreements with multinational companies and have set fair standards and conditions for workers around the world.
History
UNI was the result of the merger of four organisations: International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET), Media and Entertainment International (MEI), International Graphical Federation (IGF) and Communications International (CI). They merged on 1 January 2000, to form Union Network International. On March 2, 2009, the federation changed its name to UNI Global Union.
Organisation
UNI represents several sectors of work. These are:
- Commerce
- Finance
- Telecoms
- Post and logistics
- Industry, Business and Information Technology Services (IBITS)
- IT and white collar
- Graphical
- Property services (cleaning and security workers)
- Media, entertainment, arts and sports
- Electricity
- Social insurance and private health care
- Tourism
- Hair and beauty.
- Gaming
- Temporary Work Agency
Regions
- UNI africa Head office in Abidjan / Johannesburg
- UNI americas Head office in Montevideo
- UNI asia pacific Head office in Singapore
- UNI europa Head office in Brussels
Bangladesh Accord
UNI Global Union, along with IndustriALL Global Union, is one of the global union signatories to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, agreed in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza tragedy.
The Bangladesh Accord is a legally binding safety agreement signed by two global trade unions, a number of Bangladeshi unions, with more than 200 brands from 20 countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Almost half of all Bangladeshi factories for the export market and two million workers are covered by its scope.
Leadership
General Secretaries
- 2000: Philip Jennings
- 2018: Christy Hoffman
Presidents
- 2000: Kurt van Haaren
- 2001: Maj-Len Remahl
- 2003: Joseph T. Hansen
- 2010: Joe de Bruyn
- 2014: Ann Selin
- 2018: Ruben Cortina