Commonwealth Trade Union Council

At the International Labour Conference, 1978, it was agreed that a Commonwealth Trade Union Council (CTUC) should be established. A special working party was set up to decide the form the body should take. Their proposals were agreed by the Commonwealth Unions, Nov 1979 and the CTUC was established in Mar 1980. Dennis McDermott, President of the Canadian Labour Congress was elected President and Carl Wright was appointed Director. Patrick Quinn took over as Director of the CTUC, Aug 1988 and Arthur Johnstone became Director in 1994. The executive body of the CTUC was its Steering Subcommittee, on which sat trade union leaders from the UK and Mediterranean, Canada, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Australasia and the Pacific. A general session was held annually to maintain contacts between member countries.

The CTUC aimed to strengthen links between trade unions in the Commonwealth and to provide practical assistance to trade unions in developing countries. It also undertook a programme of Development Education with Trade Unionists in developed countries, aiming to raise awareness of international issues.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions withdrew funding for the CTUC in Jan 2003 and the Canadian Labour Congress reduced its contribution in 2002, halved it for 2003, and made no commitment beyond 2003. The UK TUC agreed to raise their contribution to compensate for reductions, but this payment was to end at start of 2005. A decision was taken in Jun 2004 to wind up CTUC at end of 2004 and it was closed Jan 2005.

From the guide to the Commonwealth Trade Union Council, 1979-2004, (Institute of Commonwealth Studies)