On Jan. 7, the Trump administration announced it would withdraw the United States from 66 international organizations, conventions and treaties, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development. International spaces like these are where the United States—together with other countries—has, for nearly a century, set and maintained global standards for workers. We regret the administration’s decision to withdraw from these critical mechanisms of international cooperation.
U.S. engagement in multilateral institutions provides stability and advances our national interests, including the economic and social interests of America's workers. U.S. leadership in the UNFCCC negotiations, for example, catalyzed clean energy investment and export opportunities around the world, creating good union jobs for America's workers. Without the U.S. government at the table, our competitors will move forward and negotiate agreements about the future of energy without us.
The trade union movement is and will continue to be an international movement, based on the shared interests of the working class. In order to address global problems like workers’ rights, inequality, the environment and security, the AFL-CIO remains committed to working together with partners in global fora.
Additional References:
- U.N. Conference on Trade and Development set guardrails for global economies
- AFL-CIO Statement on the U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (2025)
- Paris Climate Agreement Withdrawal a Failure of American Leadership | AFL-CIO (2017)
- Resolution 5: Climate Change, Energy and Union Jobs | AFL-CIO (2022)
- Resolution 55: Climate Change, Energy and Union Jobs | AFL-CIO (2017)