Abstract
Trade unions and researchers need to press for criteria other than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be taken into account for measuring social progress. International solidarity between unions is critical to be able to counterbalance the huge financial power of international companies in Small Island States and unions need to rethink the nature of the latter’s involvement in the ITUC. Climate change policies must be clear, evidence-based, transparent and free from any gender-distorting effects. In turn, academic research must be multifaceted, actiondriven, interdisciplinary, theory-driven and be the voice of the workers of the world.