The increasing globalisation of the relations in trade, finance and communication cause increasing problems of orientation and fears of people. To deal with the history and politics of the international trade union organizations may help to find a start how to come to more transparency concerning the complex economical and political relations.
The "old" social question of the founding era of international trade unionism keeps a current essence: the necessity of cross-border defence and achievement of human and workers rights.
Globalisation of economic relations shaped by social considerations - this is the task which the International Labour Movement had made its own ever since its foundation.

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Rainer Gries
Deputy Library Director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation