Trade Union Cooperation

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Zambia strengthens trade union cooperation to promote social justice, decent work, and equitable economic governance. In a context shaped by Zambia’s debt burden and fiscal consolidation, workers are often disproportionately affected by wage constraints, rising living costs, and pressures on public services.

FES works with trade unions to enhance their capacity to analyze and engage with macroeconomic policy, public debt management, and debates on tax justice. We encourage and support unions to develop clear, evidence-based positions on the national budget from a workers’ perspective, ensuring that fiscal policies protect decent work, social protection, and essential public services. Through research support and dialogue platforms, unions are better equipped to advocate for progressive taxation, fair revenue mobilization, and transparent debt processes, including gender justice.

Particular attention is also given to assessing how major economic initiatives, such as the Lobito Corridor, can create inclusive employment opportunities and uphold labor standards. FES facilitates dialogue to ensure that infrastructure and trade developments translate into tangible benefits for workers, including skills development and local value addition. Through policy engagement and leadership development, FES contributes to a democratic and representative labor movement capable of influencing Zambia’s economic direction in line with freedom, solidarity, and justice.