Jan. 2, 2007 — Amicus, the U.K.'s biggest private-sector union, has recently signed solidarity agreements with three international trade unions, including the United Steelworkers. The global alliances — along with an anticipated merger with the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) — reflect the early foundations of Amicus’ plans for a global trade union.

Amicus is forming global alliances and has signed solidarity agreements with the German super union, IG Metall, and super unions in Europe and with two of the USA's largest unions, the Machinists and the United Steel Workers. Amicus said these moves, including the merger with T&G and its potential to create the U.K.’s largest union, are a precursor to the creation of a single global union within the next decade.

“The world is changing and the new global realities involve transnational companies being able to trade off countries and workforces against each other,” said Amicus' General Secretary, Derek Simpson. “By establishing more positive links and working arrangements with trade unions abroad we can work together to prevent labor standards being eroded by ruthless global companies who show a ruthless disregard for their workers in the pursuit of even greater profits.

"Our aim is to create a powerful single union that can transcend borders to challenge the global forces of capital and I envisage a functioning, if loosely federal, multinational trade union organization within the next decade.

"As a single union we will be able to focus on delivering better pay and conditions for our members and have the organizing strength to reach out to new trade union members in our existing work places, as well as in new industries."

Members of Amicus and the T&G will vote on the merger in May 2007. They aim to form a single union by the end of 2008 with a membership of approximately two million.

In addition to spanning a wide range of professions and industrial sectors across the public, private and voluntary sectors, Amicus says the new union will provide a powerful voice with government, allowing the union to campaign on such vital issues as pensions, employment protection and skills training.