Commerce workers rise! UNI Commerce hold world conference in Atlanta

Hundreds of trade union activists and leaders from over 30 countries gathered in Atlanta, 6-9 December, to advance a global action plan on how to grow worker power in the commerce industry.

UNI’s Commerce sector global conference, themed “Commerce workers rise! A global movement for our time,” tackled the key themes facing commerce workers globally:

· Building union power through strengthening global agreements, fighting precarious work, enhancing social dialogue, among other means;

· Improving health and safety in commerce, including stopping violence against workers;

· Demanding that e-commerce is commerce to guarantee e-commerce workers are covered by the same labour rights as other works in the sector;

· Defining the future of retail & just transition to ensure that digitalization and other changes in the sector are sustainable for workers and for the planet;

· Creating responsible value and supply chains by working with employers to push for human rights due diligence and sustainability.

“The pandemic transformed commerce in so many ways. It showed how important essential food retail workers are. It sped up an already growing e-commerce sector. It helped create a cost-of-living crisis that is bearing down on the retail industry, and it worsened violence against store workers,” said Mathias Bolton, Head of UNI Commerce. “More than anything, it showed just how important unions are not only at pushing for safer jobs and decent wages but also a more sustainable, just sector.”

“Our industry is at a crossroads, and we are excited to have so many voices from around the world with us in Atlanta to put forward an action plan that rises to this moment.”

UNI Commerce holds its global conference every four years. For more information on the conference, click here.