The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is a confederation of national trade union centres, each of which links the trade unions of that particular country. It was established on 1 November 2006, bringing together the organisations which were formerly affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) as well as many national trade union centres which had no international affiliation at the time. The ICFTU and the WCL were dissolved in 2006 to pave way for the creation of the ITUC.

The new Confederation has 308 affiliated organisations in 153 countries and territories on all five continents, with a membership of 175 million, 40 per cent of whom are women. It has three regional organisations: the Asia-Pacific Regional Organisation (ITUC-AP), the African Regional Organisation (ITUC-Africa) and the American Regional Organisation (TUCA) as well as the Pan-European Regional Council (PERC). The ITUC is also a partner in “Global Unions” together with the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the 0ECD (TUAC) and the Global Union Federations (GUFs), which link together national unions from a particular trade or industry at the international level. The ITUC has specialised bureaux in countries around the world, and has General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Together with its affiliates, its regional organisations, the GUFs, as well as with non-governmental organisations, the ITUC’s activities cover the whole spectrum of issues of concerns to people at work. It carries out on-going campaign action for the universal respect of trade union rights, as guaranteed by the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO International Labour Organization A tripartite United Nations (UN) agency established in 1919 to promote working and living conditions. The main international body charged with developing and overseeing international labour standards.

See tripartism, ITUC Guide to international trade union rights ). The ITUC defends trade unionists whenever their fundamental human rights are violated as a result of their trade union activities. It also takes action against other labour rights violations as well as violations of human rights, especially where these affect working people.