This proposal focuses on factors which have limited the ability of trade unions in Cabo Verde to generate international solidarity and support.  Since attaining independence for Portugal in 1961, the Cabo Verdean trade union movement has made considerable efforts to integrate with international labour organisations and movements. Such attempts have been limited for a number of substantial reasons; politicized divisions within the Cabo Verdean trade union movement, difficulties in communicating with non-Portuguese speakers and perceptions among international labour-based organisations that Cabo Verdean workers have relatively few major problems, as most are employed in the tourist industry on good terms and conditions.

Post-independence, trade unionism in Cabo Verde can be divided into two phases; the span of the one-party regime (1975-1990) and the following period of multi-party democracy (1990 to date). The configuration of the trade union movement and its main roles have been largely determined by the dominant political economy formations in both periods. During the post-independence period of one-party rule, from 1981, trade unions were exhorted by political leaders to subsume their pursuit of improved terms and conditions for members to the broader political economy goals of overcoming the malign legacies of colonial repression. The regime discouraged the trade union movement from forging international links Nonetheless, notable steps forward for workers occurred, including recognition of the right to strike (Decreto Lei 90) and ratification of five ILO conventions. The advent of a liberal democratic regime, led to legislation permitting freedom of association, enshrined in a new constitution adopted in 1992. A bi-party political scene emerged, which endures to the present.  Two competing trade union centres emerged, linked to different political parties. This led to trade unionism being inward looking and few deep international links were formed.  However, since the 1990s the government has embraced a neoliberal economic policy, predicated on attracting international capital into the tourist industry.

The Cabo Verdean trade union movement have responded by increasing their attempts to form links with regional and international worker’s movements. These attempts have not been greatly successful, as most trade union officials can only communicate in Portuguese and find it difficult to convince other trade union organisations in Africa that the Cabo Verdean movement has many problems, since there is a perception that tourism provides decent jobs for workers in the country. How the Cabo Verdean trade union movement is addressing these two issues in engaging with regional and international workers organisations is examined in some detail in this paper.  The research draws on interviews with senior trade union officials in Cabo Verde.

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