BWI celebrates 20 years

Unite members have sent a message of solidarity to the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), who this year has been celebrating its 20th-anniversary, marking two decades of unwavering dedication to workers’ rights and global solidarity. 

The BWI was founded on 9 December 2005 and has evolved into a global workers’ voice and united force, championing innovative trade unionism across continents.

During the past two decades Unite has been a strong supporter of the campaigns and work of the BWI, and at the unions Construction NISC meeting in London on Thursday 30th October delegates sent a message of solitary and continued support.

Unite delegate to the BWI Stuart Grice gave an update about the recent meeting in Geneva and highlighted recent campaigns around extreme heat at work, sustainable skills and a groundbreaking Collaboration Agreement between the BWI and FIFA.

The agreement establishes a structured process for joint labour inspections, worker training, and corrective action across all FIFA tournaments, and there will be more information about how the new framework will help ensure that labour rights for construction workers building the sport infrastructure in a future edition of the Building Worker.

Staurt said, “My involvement with the BWI started as a young member in UCATT where I was a youth delegate, I attended many conferences and meetings and attended and graduated from the BWI activist academy.

“I was lucky enough to again be involved with the BWI youth members where I got to lead a small delegation from the sector as BWI youth alumni to their global youth conference in Turkey in 2025.”

Stuart attended the BWI’s 3rd Global Multinational Companies (MNC) Conference at the International Labour Organization (ILO) Headquarters in Geneva, which highlighted the important role that it plays in improving conditions for building workers across the world.

Stuart explained, “Recently I got to also witness the signing of an historical agreement between the BWI and FIFA in Geneva in September. The agreement gives unions and the BWI access to stadium construction projects to conduct health and safety inspections.

“The BWI’s work has helped raise minimum standards, and elevated health & safety as a fundamental right. For me, as a bricklayer and tradesperson in the uk, this means the global labour movement is pushing for better protections, safety

standards and union voice — which ultimately strengthens the environment in which construction workers operate.”

Unite sends its best wishes to the BWI for all its work over the past two decades, and to the future.

As Stuart summed up, “Here’s to the next 20 plus years of the fight for construction workers across the world.” 

By Keith Hatch

Photo by Mark Thomas