The Programme for Workers’ Activities is the training arm of the Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) of the ILO. The Programme responds to the training needs of workers' organizations through courses, materials, projects and advisory services.
It is the largest international labour education programme in the world and offers free training opportunities to leaders, senior activists and technical staff of workers' organizations.
The Programme runs:
- residential training courses in Turin
- follow-up seminars and training activities that assess the impact of its activities, as well as providing further advanced training
- online labour education
- staff training for ACTRAV.
Training courses mainly concern:
- international labour standards and the use of the ILO supervisory system
- implementation of the Social Justice Declaration and the Decent Work Agenda
- employment and development policies and poverty-reduction strategies
- social protection and occupational safety and health, with a focus on HIV-AIDS
- social dialogue
- collective bargaining and organizing
- gender and women workers' rights
- training of trainers and training methodology
- the use of information technology by trade unions.
The Secretary of the Workers' Group of the ILO Governing Body plays a central role in choosing the organizations eligible to send participants to the activities. No participant is enrolled directly in the activities without going through that process.
The Programme has developed a set of computer communication tools known as SoliComm, Solidarity Communications. It uses them for pre-course orientation and post-course follow-up. Moreover, labour organizations can use them for building networks, organizing educational activities, conducting campaigns and more. They encompass e-mail, mailing lists, computer conferencing, websites and an e-library.
Upcoming courses
Global Workers' Academy on the Future of Work: Organizing and Collective Bargaining
Global Workers' Academy on the Future of Work: Organizing and Collective Bargaining
The accelerated pace of change in globalization, technology, demographics and climate change has led to rapid transformations in the world of work and has been accompanied by high levels of uncertainty, fear and insecurity. Read More
Ensuring protection of workers' rights in 'new' jobs
Ensuring protection of workers' rights in 'new' jobs
Topic-wise, the course will build on the experience gained from the regional course on the future of work introduced in 2019. Read More
Tripartism, social dialogue and collective bargaining
Tripartism, social dialogue and collective bargaining
This course aims to develop the skills and competencies of trade unions in relation to tripartism, social dialogue and collective bargaining. Read More
International labour standards in the Arab region
International labour standards in the Arab region
This course aims to strengthen the competencies of trade unions in the Arab States in understanding and managing the ILO's standards-setting, ratification, implementation and supervision processes. Read More
Trade union training on social security
Trade union training on social security
This course aims to enhance the capacity of trade-union representatives from selected African countries to increase the coverage and effectiveness of social protection systems in Africa, with a view to improving the equity, resilience and opportunity of these systems within the context of national goals and priorities and Agenda 2030 (SDGs). Read More
Regional Trade Union Training on Labour Migration: "Enhancing trade union capacities and actions towards fair labour migration"
Regional Trade Union Training on Labour Migration: "Enhancing trade union capacities and actions towards fair labour migration"
This blended trade-union training course aims to foster a better understanding of the challenges of global labour migration. Read More
Formación sindical sobre Tripartismo, Diálogo Social y Negociación Colectiva
Formación sindical sobre Tripartismo, Diálogo Social y Negociación Colectiva
El objetivo general de este curso es el de mejorar las capacidades de los/las responsables sindicales para la formulación e implementación de estrategias concertadas a través del diálogo social tripartito y/o la negociación colectiva para una mejor defensa de los derechos laborales y sociales, sobre la base de instrumentos producidos por la OIT y otros organismos e instituciones, y la aplicación de metodologías sindicales específicas. Read More
Promotion of labour migration standards for sustainable development
Promotion of labour migration standards for sustainable development
The significance of labour migration for development has been gaining prominence in global, continental, regional and national discourse. Read More
Trade union training on international labour standards with a focus on freedom of association and collective bargaining
Trade union training on international labour standards with a focus on freedom of association and collective bargaining
This course aims to develop the competencies of trade unions in relation to the ILO's standards setting mechanisms. Read More
Formación sindical en Seguridad Social
Formación sindical en Seguridad Social
Este curso tiene como objetivo contribuir al desarrollo de capacidades de los representantes sindicales de los países seleccionados para ampliar la cobertura de los sistemas de protección social, con el objetivo de proporcionar funciones de equidad, resiliencia y oportunidad de los sistemas de protección social en el contexto de la Agenda 2030 (ODS). Read More
Regional trade union training on tripartism, social dialogue and collective bargaining
Regional trade union training on tripartism, social dialogue and collective bargaining
This blended trade-union training course will contribute to the development and enhancement of trade-union understanding, skills and capacities in social dialogue and collective bargaining, and to the creation of an enabling environment conducive to the full exercise of workers' rights, leading to decent work, inclusive growth and equitable development. Read More
Trade union training on social security
Trade union training on social security
This course aims to build the capacities of trade-union representatives from selected countries to increase the coverage and effectiveness of social protection systems, with a view to enhancing the equity, resilience and opportunity functions of such systems within the context of Agenda 2030 (SDGs). Read More
Ending violence and harassment at work
Ending violence and harassment at work
Globally, workers are reporting an increase in violence and harassment in the workplace. Read More
