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After 15 months of discussion and preparations Unite, the UK’s largest union, and USW, North America’s largest private sector union signed an agreement establishing a fully registered union in the UK, USA, Ireland and Canada in June 2008.

Another concrete step toward a true Global Union has been taken with the signing of an agreement by the USW and Unite the Union, the largest labour organization in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The agreement, which followed 15 months of discussion and preparation, was signed in front of more than 3,000 International Convention delegates in Las Vegas and clears the way for the creation of Workers Uniting, the world’s first Global Union.

“This union is crucial for challenging the growing power of global capital,” said Leo Gerard.  “Only global solidarity among workers can overcome the massive exploitation that globalization has created.”

Signing for Unite the Union was Derek Simpson, General Secretary of Unite’s Amicus section.  On hand via video was Tony Woodley, General Secretary of Unite’s Transport and General Workers section.

The new global union’s founding Constitution calls on its combined membership to “build global union activism, recognizing that uniting as workers across international boundaries is the only way to challenge the injustices of globalization”.

Workers Uniting will be a fully-functional and registered labour organization in the UK, US, Ireland and Canada, with the ability to fully represent all of the members of its founding unions.  It will be government by a Steering Committee with equal membership from each participating union.

The union’s new staff will headed by an Executive Director, who will oversee an initial budget of several million dollars, and a staff that includes research, international affairs and communications specialists.