Trade Union and Workers Roundtable

If SDG11 and the New Urban Agenda's transformative commitments are to be realised, cities must be built on principles of social, economic and environmental justice.
Workers and unions are active shapers of progressive urban development and policymaking and should be included from the outset of any process. Workers build cities, operate the local public administration, deliver vital public services to residents, and bring the communities and the local economies to life.

This roundtable will gather workers and union representatives to highlight how we can implement SDG11 and the New Urban Agenda in a post-COVID-19 environment. It will discuss the opportunities to improve territorial inequality by enhancing equitable access to local public services, sustainable urban planning and transformative policy measures.

Sustainable and Fair Cities for All: Quality Local Public Services, Decent Jobs and a Just Transition

How have workers and trade unions advanced the NUA and the localisation of SDG11?

• What are the challenges they continue to face and what needs to be done?  
• What sort of policies can help us build sustainable and fair cities for all?
• What role does equitable access to quality public services play in overcoming territorial inequality?
• Why are decent jobs and a just transition central to implementing SDG11 and the New Urban Agenda?
• What sort of democratic and participatory processes can help ensure that urban policies act in the interests of residents, workers and local community stakeholders?
• What progressive alliances, dialogue and partnerships need to be established or strengthened for workers and trade unions to be enabled and empowered in urban environments?