14 June 2012: The Global Trade Union Forum, also known as the Second Trade Union Assembly on Labour and the Environment, convened from 11-13 June 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ahead of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The Assembly discussed efforts to lobby world leaders to reaffirm commitments on sustainability, employment, social protection and equality at Rio+20.

The three-day meeting was jointly organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) and Sustainlabour, and focused on generating green and decent jobs. Addressing the Assembly, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner underscored the importance of the employment crisis. He stressed that articulating the urgency of a transition towards a green economy through the social lens may be the most efficient way of bringing leaders to a cooperative series of agreements at Rio+20.

The key outcome of the Assembly was a resolution calling on governments to acknowledge that “social protection is a human right, in line with ILO Convention 102 on Social Security (Minimum Standards) and ILO Recommendation 202 on national social protection floors, and to provide, facilitate and extend social protection coverage.” The document also advocates for the introduction of a tax on financial transactions at a global level. [UN NGLS Press Release] [ITUC Press Release, 11 June 2012] [ ITUC Press Release, 14 June 2012] [UNEP Press Release] [Assembly Resolution]