WOW - World Organization Of Workers

20/10/2026

🌍 Different countries. One common voice.

Today, the WOW Europe Board met in Torremolinos, Spain.

Our discussions focused on international cooperation, strengthening workers’ representation and planning future projects and activities.

🤝 Workers across Europe face common challenges. By working together across borders, we can make their voices stronger.

Stronger together. Across borders.

28/09/2026

Having a job is not always enough: Why the global labour crisis is no longer just about unemployment

Global unemployment is projected to be around 4.9% in 2026. On paper, that looks like a healthy labour market. But numbers can be misleading.

The bigger crisis today isn’t just whether people have jobs—it’s the quality of the jobs they have.

In our latest update, WOW-Asia points to key structural challenges across Asia and the developing world:

The Reality Behind the Numbers:
• 2.1 billion workers globally are estimated to be in informal employment in 2026 (ILO).
• In Asia and the Pacific, around two-thirds of workers remain in informal jobs—despite decades of strong regional GDP growth.
• Almost 300 million workers worldwide are still living in extreme working poverty.

The Limits of the Unemployment Rate:
Someone can work long, exhausting hours as a street vendor, delivery rider, smallholder farmer, or informal worker and be counted as "employed"—yet still have:
- No stable contracts

- No social security or sick pay

- No safety net if disaster strikes

- Limited pathways to build a better future

Having any income is vital for survival, but getting another low-paying, insecure job does not pull families out of poverty.

The Path Forward:
Economic growth must benefit the people driving it. The goal cannot simply be creating more jobs—it must be creating better jobs:
- Stable contracts and fair, livable wages

- Social protections and worker safety

- Training and pathways into higher-value work

- Better access to finance and markets for micro-enterprises

At the World Organization of Workers (WOW), we believe that decent work should be a way out of poverty, not just a way to survive it.

21/09/2026

Work should not just be about getting through the day — it should be a place where we thrive

The average person spends around 100,000 hours of their life at work. Yet, global studies show that roughly 27% of workers experience one or more bad workdays every single week. When work makes people unhappy, it drains their health, well-being, and family life.

From 21–25 September 2026, organizations across the globe mark the International Week of Happiness at Work. At WOW (World Organization of Workers), we fully support this movement. Several of our member organizations are already doing groundbreaking work on the ground to improve psychological safety, fair conditions, and everyday well-being.

Workplace happiness is not a soft luxury — it is a core worker right and a necessity for healthy, sustainable societies.

How can we take action? Small changes create big shifts:

Recognize and support: Take time to acknowledge colleagues’ contributions and check in when someone is under pressure.

Build real community: Prioritize breaks, share meals, and create casual spaces where employees can disconnect and connect as humans.

Open up the dialogue: Normalize conversations around mental health, workload, and workplace culture without fear of stigma.

To all WOW member organizations and followers: What initiatives are you taking in your workplace or union to foster happiness, fairness, and well-being at work? What works in your corner of the world?

Share your stories, advice, and best practices in the comments below, or message us so we can highlight your work!

07/09/2026

Today, Monday 7 September, marks World Menopause and Work Day.

Menopause affects millions of women in workplaces around the globe, yet it remains a taboo rarely spoken about openly.

For many women, this stage of life coincides with the peak of their careers—a time when they carry significant responsibility, hold extensive professional expertise, and make vital contributions to their organizations. Yet severe symptoms, coupled with a lack of workplace understanding, can make daily work unnecessarily difficult. No woman should feel forced to hide what she is experiencing or worry that it might undermine how her competence is perceived.

At WOW (World Organization of Workers), we believe that menopause is not a private burden to bear in silence—it is a matter of occupational health, equality, and dignity at work.

WOW proposes three concrete steps to create supportive workplaces:

- Promote education and awareness: Train managers and teams to understand menopausal symptoms and remove the stigma.

- Introduce practical flexibility: Offer simple workplace adjustments—such as flexible working hours, temperature control, and access to quiet spaces.

- Make it part of the social dialogue: Address women's health explicitly in workplace policies and collective bargaining to ensure fair, lasting support.

Through constructive social dialogue between employers, trade unions, and worker representatives, we can build working environments that value and support women at every stage of their working lives.

How does your workplace or union address menopause and women's health?

04/09/2026

ABVO President George Hernández passes away

George Hernández, President of the Algemene Bond van Overheid en Overig Personeel (ABVO) trade union, passed away unexpectedly on August 28, 2026. He was 64 years old. Hernández had been active in the trade union movement for decades and had been at the helm of ABVO since 2021.

31/08/2026

AI is on everyone’s lips — but technology must serve humanity, not the other way around.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping workplaces across the globe. At the World Organization of Workers (WOW), our position is clear: AI should enrich jobs rather than replace them. We advocate for a human-centric future of work anchored in human dignity, lifelong learning, and genuine human control over technological decisions.

Our partners at the International Labour Organization (ILO) are playing a vital role in understanding and shaping the digital transformation of work. Through their Observatory on AI and Work in the Digital Economy, they provide crucial insights into how AI impacts workers worldwide.

Watch this short introductory video from the ILO Observatory:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdn88pUHNmo

How is AI currently impacting your daily work, and how is your union ensuring that workers stay in control? Let us know in the comments below!

The ILO Observatory on Artificial Intelligence and Work in the Digi...

17/08/2026

Beyond the Harvest: Securing the Future of Agriculture in Developing Asia

Agriculture employs millions of people across developing Asia—from the Philippines and Indonesia to Cambodia and Laos. Yet, despite farmers working tirelessly every day, the sector continues to face critical structural challenges that threaten food security and rural livelihoods.

In a new perspective from WOW-Asia, we highlight the key issues and what is needed to support our agricultural workforce:

The Challenges on the Ground:
Land conversion: Rapid urbanization is converting vital agricultural land into real estate and industrial zones, reducing domestic food production and displacing farming communities.

High costs & climate risks: Inadequate irrigation, rising production costs, outdated equipment, and extreme weather make stable incomes difficult to achieve.

Generational shift: As farming struggles with low profitability, fewer young workers choose agriculture, putting future food production at risk.

The Path Forward: Nations with highly developed agricultural systems—such as the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the US—show that success relies on a strong supporting ecosystem: Sustained investments in modern irrigation, mechanization, and research. Enforcing responsible land-use policies to protect finite farmland. Accessible financing, cooperatives, and farmer education.

At the World Organization of Workers (WOW), we believe that investing in agriculture is not an expense—it is a vital, long-term investment in workers' livelihoods, national resilience, and global food security.

07/08/2026

Solidarity with Workers Around the World: Venezuela’s Journalists Need Our Support

Even when the news headlines shift, the reality on the ground remains for the workers affected by disaster.
Our member organization, Felatraccs, reached out to share an update from Venezuela regarding the devastating impact of the June earthquakes on journalists and media workers—the very people who keep communities informed during crises.

While weeks have passed since the disaster, the path to recovery is long. Many media workers have lost their homes, lost loved ones, and 12 colleagues tragically lost their lives. Yet, despite the hardship, journalists continue their vital work on the frontlines to bring truth to the public.

Here is a summary of the situation reported by the National Syndicate of Press Workers (SNTP):

The Impact on Media Workers:
•12 journalists and media workers tragically lost their lives. We honor their memory and hold their families in our thoughts.

•65 press workers directly affected, mainly across Vargas/La Guaira (49), Aragua (9), and Caracas (7).

•18 media workers completely lost their homes, while 8 others remain displaced due to ongoing aftershocks and structural damage.

•165 family members are affected, including 44 children of our impacted colleagues.

The National Syndicate of Press Workers (SNTP) has launched an urgent fundraising campaign to provide basic necessities for affected media workers and their families, as well as to ensure journalists have the resources to continue reporting safely from the impacted zones.

"Your support helps us provide urgent assistance and strengthens the conditions so that information keeps reaching where it is needed most." — SNTP

At WOW, we stand in full solidarity with our Venezuelan colleagues. Disasters may last a day, but rebuilding lives and livelihoods takes time.

07/07/2026

From redundancy to new opportunities: WOW-Asia shows the way!

The labor market is in constant change, and sometimes it takes courage and ingenuity to forge your own path. Our colleagues at WOW-Asia have shared these powerful examples of how they navigate difficult times by standing together.

When one chapter closes, a new one often opens—and at WOW-Asia, we see how former colleagues are joining forces to create new opportunities:

From teachers to entrepreneurs: A group of retired teachers have pooled their resources to start a joint poultry project. Every morning, they sell fresh eggs in their community—a fantastic example of staying engaged in the labor market and contributing to the local community.

From restaurant staff to street food vendors: After being laid off, former restaurant employees used their separation pay as capital to launch their own street food stalls. They bring their experience and hard work with them, creating their own livelihood every night.

From office workers to market vendors: When local government offices implemented cost-cutting measures, former employees took matters into their own hands. They now purchase and sell fish locally to supplement their family income and ensure financial stability.

Why is this the WOW spirit?
It is not just about survival; it is about dignity. It is about refusing to give up and using your skills and your community to create value. This is the essence of a solidarity-based community—caring for ourselves and for one another.

We are incredibly proud of the resilience our members in WOW-Asia demonstrate. They remind us all that the strength of a trade union community is the most powerful tool we have.

Please show your support in the comments—have you ever had to reinvent yourself in your working life? 👇

26/06/2026

World Cup 2026: Celebrating Team Spirit and Fair Play!

As the world turns its eyes toward the World Cup over these weeks, we are reminded of something fundamental: the power of working together toward a common goal.

For us at the World Organization of Workers (WOW), football is more than just a game. It is a global community built on the very same principles that we fight for every day in our work: solidarity, fair play, and mutual respect.

On the football field, we see how results are achieved through teamwork, discipline, and respect for both teammates and opponents. These are the same values that define a strong social dialogue in the labor market. When we respect the rules of the game—just as we respect collective bargaining agreements—we build the foundation for a fair workplace and a just world.

We send our warmest wishes and good luck to all our member organizations and their national teams participating in the tournament! We look forward to following the excitement and celebrating this global community with all of you.

May the best team win—and may we always remember that we are strongest when we stand together.

"Which team is your organization with? Let us know in the comments below!"