Comparing Labor Union Election Practices Globally

Across the globe, labor union election practices differ based on country. They’re shaped by local legal systems, political climates, and cultural attitudes toward workers’ rights.

No matter where you are in the world or what union you’re a part of, the goal remains consistent. Unions strive to improve workplace conditions, wages, and benefits for the working class. As the backbone of economic and social progress, labor unions work to ensure fair treatment and representation for workers. 

ElectionBuddy, a union election software system, supports this mission by providing a reliable platform for unions to conduct democratic elections that give workers a direct voice in shaping their leadership and advocating for their rights. Whether it’s a small union or a large-scale organization, ElectionBuddy strives to make sure every vote counts, prioritizes union election fraud prevention, and aims to help unions achieve their core mission of improving the lives of workers!

The State of the Global Workplace

The United Nations (UN) supports labor rights through its Decent Work for All Mandate to promote respect for workers’ rights internationally. However, recent statistics from the UN reveal that 630 million workers still live in poverty worldwide, and roughly 74% of countries ban union membership. Many workers face discrimination to this day.

In these types of environments, the risk of security issues in labor union voting (e.g., tampering, voter suppression, and fraud) can further threaten workers' rights. This makes it all the more important to have secure and transparent voting systems in place for fair representation.

Labor Unions Across the World

No matter where you are in the world, unions represent workers in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, education, healthcare, and public services. 

Here are a few examples of how union election processes work in different areas of the world:

• The United States: The National Labor Relations Board oversees union elections. Usually, workers vote in elections through a secret ballot to make their voices heard on key workers’ issues, leadership decisions, strikes, and more. 
• The United Kingdom: Union elections are governed by the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act, which requires that secret ballots be used to elect leaders every three to five years. An independent Certification Officer should also oversee the election for maximum transparency.
• Brazil: Union elections are most often held at the industry level and governed by the Consolidation of Labor Laws. Workers vote to elect union representatives who negotiate collective bargaining agreements on their behalf. 
• South Korea: Governed by the Trade Union Act, which emphasizes the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain. Union elections involve secret ballots to elect leaders and representatives. There’s also a heavy focus on activism among union members.

In these examples, each of these countries has laws or governing boards in place to ensure union elections are protected and fair.

Streamlining Elections Worldwide

Searching for new ways to host a more cohesive union election and engage with your membership? ElectionBuddy makes it easy for organizations around the world to run secure and transparent elections, while improving communications with members.

With operations in nearly 200 countries and support in more than forty languages, ElectionBuddy’s user-friendly voting platform is used in elections with more than 100,000 voters. Our platform also has detailed security features that protect against election fraud. 

It doesn’t matter where you and your union are located, the goal is the same. ElectionBuddy is all about empowering voices and making democracy more accessible for everyone!