The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has underscored the need for the labour movement to rethink its strategies.
Speaking in his capacity as the president of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) in Turkey, Atwoli said it is time for the labour movement to adopt structures, share a new vision and renew its commitment to social justice, democracy and decent life for all.
He acknowledged that currently, the world is experiencing rapid and far-reaching changes that require the labour movement to rethink its strategies.
These include the rise of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and automation, the climate crisis and the green transition, economic inequalities, geopolitical tensions and shifting employment patterns.
Atwoli said these forces are transforming the very nature of work - creating new opportunities but also deepening vulnerabilities for millions of workers, especially in the Global South.
"Even the ILO, which provides a tripartite framework for discussing issues of development, labour standards and worker protection, is being seriously targeted by those who are pushing for deregulation and precarious working conditions," Atwoli said.
Atwoli was addressing delegates during the joint ILC/OATUU Strategic meeting held under the theme, "The labour movement in the face of the new challenges of work and world transformation".
"For OATUU and the African labour movement, the challenge is two-fold: to ensure that modernisation and technological progress contribute to inclusive development, and to guarantee that African workers are not left behind in this global transformation," Atwoli said.
Atwoli said the current situation on the African continent is deeply concerning and calls upon trade unions to take decisive leadership.
"Rising indebtedness, economic dependence, persistent conflicts, terrorism, insecurity, forced migration, and the growing threats posed by climate change are placing immense strain on our societies," he said.
"At the same time, the spread of informality and the attacks on labour rights are worsening the conditions of working people across the continent."
He noted that these interconnected crises demand both local and global strategies, noting that it is time to transform existing challenges into an opportunity to build a more just, inclusive and resilient future for all workers.
According to Atwoli, in a world that is increasingly complex and rapidly changing and the world of work faces new and persistent threats, the labour movement must stand together - rethinking its solidarity, redefining strategies, and reshaping its actions for the future.
He noted that repeated violations of international humanitarian law - illegal invasions, war crimes, attacks on civilians, failure to comply with UN resolutions - demonstrate a growing disregard for international law.
"This disregard is not without consequences: it weakens multilateral institutions and jeopardises world peace," Atwoli said.
He said the mission of the labour movement remains unchanged - to defend the dignity of work, to protect workers' rights, and to build societies founded on equity, peace, and solidarity.
"Let us use this meeting to renew our commitment to those values and to envision together a future of work that is fair, inclusive, and human-centred."
