International Solidarity

When corporate decisions made half a world away can impact jobs and investments with the speed of keystroke, what choice do working people have but to make alliances across national boundaries? When U.S. politicians are beholden to transnational corporations, what choice do U.S. working people have but to make common cause with workers elsewhere in the world?

As globalization draws the world closer together, workers' rights, wages and working conditions are downsized. Global wages are spiraling downward towards the lowest common denominator — countries where workers make as little as a few dollars a day.

Starting from a longstanding commitment to international solidarity, UE believes that more than ever, unions must act and think globally. A real commitment to international labor solidarity means more than just resolutions and meetings. It requires rank-and-file action.

UE has built relationships with labor organizations in a variety of countries. We've made labor history with our pioneering Strategic Organizing Alliance with the Authentic Labor Front, the Frente Autentico del Trabajo (FAT) in Mexico. And, we continue to build new ways to link workers and their unions across borders. Find out about this important work at our UE International Solidarity Website.

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Zenroren Hosts Local 506 Business Agent at Union and Peace Conferences

October 18, 2025
Hiroshima, Japan
By John Miles, Local 506 Business Agent

On July 31, 2025 my wife and I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Japan for the International Trade Union Forum for Peaceful and Just World without Nuclear Weapons.  At this International Solidarity conference, we met with several different trade Unions from around the globe including Zenroren — Japan, Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses (General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers, CGTP) — Portugal, Confédération Générale du Travail (General Confederation of Labor, CGT) — France, Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU) — South Korea

‘International solidarity is essential’

October 18, 2025
Chicago

On Tuesday afternoon of convention, delegates heard remarks from several international guests, representatives of close UE allies in Mexico, Japan, Quebec, Canada, and Italy.

Eladio Abundiz Guadian, National Coordinator of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, an independent union federation in Mexico, said, “It is an honor for me to be at the convention of an independent, progressive union with a democratic structure, where major decisions are made from the bottom up,and which represents more than 40,000 members.”

Korean Unions Help Defeat Martial Law, Strike to Demand Impeachment of President

December 12, 2024
Seoul, South Korea

UPDATE, 12/14: The South Korean parliament voted 204 to 85 to impeach President Yoon on Saturday, December 14.

On the evening of December 3, South Korea’s right-wing president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, citing threats from “anti-state forces.” Following the announcement, hundreds of Korean citizens, including many members of the 1.2 million member Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, defied the ban on political activity, gathering at the parliament building where 190 lawmakers were able to enter the building and pass a unanimous motion rejecting Yoon’s imposition of martial law. Several hours later, Yoon rescinded his order.

Mexico Elects Pro-Worker President, First Woman to Hold Office

August 2, 2024
Mexico City

In June, Mexico held federal, state and local elections. Claudia Sheinbaum, who had been the mayor of Mexico City, was elected the country’s first woman president. Her party, Morena, also gained a majority in both houses of the legislature and won at many other levels. 

Sheinbaum has pledged to continue the progressive reforms that the current president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, popularly known as AMLO, has put into place. These include improved rights in the workplace, requirements for democratic union elections, and strengthening social safety nets, like reforming the pension system to better support lower income workers when they retire.

Labour Party Wins Power in UK, French Workers Defeat Far-Right

August 2, 2024

In July, both the United Kingdom and France held national elections. In both countries, parties representing “labour” or working class perspectives did better than expected.

In the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, from the Conservative Party, lacked credibility with the public and faced growing public discontent. Much of this was fueled by extremely high prices, with inflation over 11 percent at one point, and only dropping recently. This has been one of many impacts of the British exit from the European Union, or “Brexit” as it was commonly called.

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