International Summer School 2013

Key Issues & Questions

A discussion paper, based on compiled materials from the 2013 Summer School, is available to view and download. Click here to read this discussion paper. 

Day 1: Pre-school briefing

A Starter Kit for International Trade Unionists (Monday afternoon, 8 July)

The opening session of the Global Labour International Summer School. Dave Spooner of Global Labour Institute, UK presents a Starter Kit for International Trade Unionists: A brief guided tour around the political and organisational landscape of the movement – for participants new to international trade union discussions.

Day 2: Global Unions, Global Politics

Introduction to the Summer School (Tuesday morning, 9 July)

The Public Sector Challenge (Tuesday morning, 9 July)

Greg Thompson of Unison, UK, Marcela Olivera from the Municipal Services Project in Bolivia, and David Hall of PSI talk about the challenges to public services.

The Anti-Capitalist Challenge (Tuesday morning, 9 July)

Fatima Aquado Queipo of CC.OO in Spain, and Lefteris Kretsos of Syriza in Greece talk about the anti-capitalist challenge to the trade union movement.

The Climate Challenge (Tuesday morning, 9 July)

Sean Sweeney of the Global Labor Institute, Cornell University, examines the role of unions in confronting the challenge of climate change.

The Political Challenge (Tuesday afternoon, 9 July)

Bala Tampoe of the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers’ Union of Sri Lanka and Dan Gallin of the Global Labour Institute in Geneva talk about the challenges facing the movement.

Day 3: The Politics of Organising

Politics, Organisation and Education (Wednesday morning, 10 July)

Dave Spooner, GLI UK, and Teresa Conrow, labour educator and organiser, are leading this plenary.  There is no recording of this session.

The Fall & Rise of Labour? (Wednesday morning, 10 July)

New trends in trade unionism. What will the international trade union movement look like in 2020?

Discussion lead by Liv Tørres, Norwegian Peoples Aid and Han Dongfang, China Labour Bulletin, Hong Kong.

Day 4: Our Common Purpose

Online Q&A with Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary (Thursday morning, 11 July)

What is Syndicalism? (Thursday morning, 11 July)

Our Common Purpose (Thursday afternoon, 11 July)