Global union federation
A global union federation is an international federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic tradition described as international trade secretariats, while those in the Christian democratic tradition described themselves as international trade federations. Equivalent sectoral bodies linked to the World Federation of Trade Unions described themselves as trade union internationals.
Many unions are members of one or more global union federations, relevant to the sectors where they have their members. Individual unions may also be affiliated to a national trade union centre, which in turn can be affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation or the WFTU.
Current federations
| Federation | Acronym | Headquarters | Present | |
| Building and Wood Workers' International | BWI | Geneva | 2005 | |
| Education International | EI | Brussels | 1992 | |
| Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations | FICSA | Geneva | 1952 | |
| Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels | FIFPro | Hoofddoorp | 1965 | |
| IndustriALL Global Union | IndustriAll | Geneva | 2012 | |
| International Affiliation of Writers' Guilds | IAWG | Toronto | 1986 | |
| International Arts and Entertainment Alliance | IAEA | Brussels | 1997 | - |
| International Domestic Workers Federation | IDWF | Hong Kong | 2013 | |
| International Federation of Actors | FIA | Brussels | 1952 | |
| International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations | IFALPA | Montreal | 1948 | |
| International Federation of Journalists | IFJ | Brussels | 1926 | |
| International Federation of Musicians | FIM | Paris | 1948 | |
| International Transport Workers' Federation | ITF | London | 1896 | |
| International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations | IUF | Geneva | 1920 | |
| Public Services International | PSI | Ferney-Voltaire | 1907 | |
| UNI Global Union | UNI | Nyon | 2000 |