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Sam Gurney

Sam Gurney

Sam Gurney is a Policy Officer in the TUC’s European Union and International Relations Department, specialising in international labour standards. He is the TUC’s delegate to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

  • Sam Gurney Sam Gurney

    Former global trade union leader and current Everton fan could lead key UN body

    Former ITUC General Secretary Guy Rider

    Former ITUC General Secretary, and ILO Secretary General Candidate, Guy Rider

    Guy Ryder the former head of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is in the running to be the next Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)  the part of the United Nations that deals with issues relating to the world of work.

    As the Trades Union Congress representative on the ILO governing body, and someone holding one of the 56 votes that will decide the next DG, I’m giving my full support to Guy, notwithstanding his dodgy sporting allegiances.

    The ILO is an important organisation for working people around the world, set up in the aftermath of the First World War to work for social justice by creating a level playing field of labour standards. It was seen as fundamental to building a fair and just peace, sadly as the outbreak of the Second World War showed this vision didn’t quite work out in practice. However in the years since WWII it has continued to build a base of globally agreed rights and backed them up with technical and policy support at a national level.

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    Posted on February 22nd, 2012 by Sam Gurney filed under: Global solidarity

  • Sam Gurney Sam Gurney

    International labour standards: creating space to organise?

    Domestic workers

    Domestic workers celebrate the passing of Convention 189 on Domestic Workers at the ILO's 100th Session in Geneva in June this year. Photo: © International Labour Organization

    Last week, I had to give a presentation to the Solicitors International Human Rights Group (SIHRG), on the topic ‘International Labour Standards: How effective is the current system?’ The main temptation was to simply say ‘not very’ and leave it at that, but the calibre of the audience demanded a rather more structured response.

    When it comes to actually establishing international labour standards, the system might not be the Rolls Royce of global governance structures, but it’s definitely in the high end range compared to many of the other areas where we’re crying out for globally agreed standards, such as finance sector regulation or controls on tax evasion and avoidance.

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    Posted on September 16th, 2011 by Sam Gurney filed under: Rights at work