A global union federation (GUF) is an international federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic tradition described as international trade secretariats (ITS), while those in the Christian democratic tradition described themselves as international trade federations. Equivalent sectoral bodies linked to the World Federation of Trade Unions described themselves as trade union internationals.
Many unions are members of one or more global union federations, relevant to the sectors where they have their members. Individual unions may also be affiliated to a national trade union centre, which in turn can be affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) or the WFTU. This means that workers do not belong to the global union; instead, the individual workers belong to their local, and the local organization may choose to join one or more regional or national labor organizations, and each national organization may choose to join one or more global unions.
Current federations
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Federation
!Acronym
!Headquarters
!Present
!
|-
|Building and Wood Workers' International
|BWI
|Geneva
|2005
|
|-
|Education International
|EI
|Brussels
|1992
|
|-
|Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations
|FICSA
|Geneva
|1952
|
|-
|Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels
|FIFPro
|Hoofddoorp
|1965
|
|-
|IndustriALL Global Union
|IndustriAll
|Geneva
|2012
|
|-
|International Affiliation of Writers' Guilds
|IAWG
|Toronto
|1986
|
|-
|International Arts and Entertainment Alliance
|IAEA
|Brussels
|1997
|-
|International Domestic Workers Federation
|IDWF
|Hong Kong
|2013
|
|-
|International Federation of Actors
|FIA
|Brussels
|1952
|
|-
|International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
|IFALPA
|Montreal
|1948
|
|-
|International Federation of Journalists
|IFJ
|Brussels
|1926
|
|-
|International Federation of Musicians
|FIM
|Paris
|1948
|
|-
|International Transport Workers' Federation
|ITF
|London
|1896
|
|-
|Public Services International
|PSI
|Ferney-Voltaire
|1907
|
|-
|UNI Global Union
|UNI
|Nyon
|2000
|
|}
Former secretariats
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Federation !! Acronym !! Founded !! Dissolved !! Fate !!
|-
| Carpenters' International || || 1903 || 1925 || Merged into IFBWW ||
|-
| Communications International || CI || 1920 || 2000 || Merged into UNI ||
|-
| International Confederation of Musicians || ICM || 1904 || 1920s || Dissolved ||
|-
| International Federation of Bookbinders and Kindred Trades || || 1907 || 1949 || Merged into IGF ||
|-
| International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions || ICEM || 1995 || 2012 || Merged into IndustriALL ||
|-
| International Federation of Saddlers' Unions || || 1906 || 1921 || Merged into the ISLWF ||
|-
| International Secretariat of Painters and Allied Trades || || 1911 || 1946 || Merged into IFBWW ||
|-
| International Textile and Garment Workers' Federation || ITGWF || 1960 || 1970 || Merged into ITGLWF ||
|-
| World Federation of Industry Workers || WFIW || 1985 || 2007 || Merged into ICEM ||
|-
| World Organisation of the Teaching Profession || WOTP || 1923 || 1951 || Merged into WCOTP ||
|}
See also
- Global Unions
Notes
Citations
Sources
;Books
;Articles
;Profiles