The G7 will meet in the UK this year, at the greatest emergency of the post- war age. The TUC is hosting a discussion of global economic priorities, as part of lobbying around the process and the parallel ‘L7’ Labour Ministers’ gathering.
Long before the pandemic hit, austerity policies had revealed the bankruptcy of thinking in the face of the 2008-09 crisis of financial globalisation. Workers and their families have endured decades of worsening conditions, and now confront a climate emergency and nationalist politics. Too few governments and institutions support the structural change needed to address chronic global inequalities and ensure decent work for all, even though the IMF and OECD now caution against austerity for rich economies.
A distinguished line up of speakers from across the world, including Heather Boushey of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Anneliese Dodds, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady and leading academics and campaigners, will ask what a labour internationalism would look like, how new global rules can deliver better for workers, and what we need to do to make that happen.
Programme and speakers
1300 GMT: Introduction
Richard Trumka, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
1310-1400: How power imbalance and inequalities have meant a failed economy
Matthew Klein will discuss his book Trade Wars are Class Wars as point of departure to a discussion of the economics of wages versus wealth, the interplay with international finance, and how a labour economics can overcome renewed nationalism.
Chaired by Filip Stefanovic, TUAC Economic Policy Advisor
Matthew C. Klein, economics commentator at Barrons and co-author of Trade Wars are Class Wars.
Ann Pettifor, Political Economist and author of The Case for the Green New Deal
Geoff Tily, TUC senior economist
1400-1450: How global rules and institutions have privileged corporations over workers
Across each of the international monetary and financial system, rules for global trade and global development and poverty agendas, speakers will discuss how the few have been advantaged at the great expense of the many, and look to setting the balance right.
Chaired by Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Executive Director, Economic Change Unit, formerly Director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign
Luiz Vieira Coordinator of the Bretton Woods Project
Rosa Crawford, TUC Policy Officer leading on international trade
Caroline Khamati Mugalla, General Secretary, East Africa Trade Union Confederation and Tolu Fagbemigbe, Nigeria Labour Congress
1500-1600: Plenary discussion: building a new internationalism – what we need to do now
A high-level panel of politicians, trade union leaders and academics will offer their take on the way forward, and the panel will discuss questions from the audience.
Chaired by Gail Cartmail, Assistant General Secretary Unite and TUC President
Heather Boushey, President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)
Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary
Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, USA
Pierre Habbard, General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD
Registration is essential and you can access all sessions with the same registration link.