Two overarching goals are central to the role of trade unions in society: social justice and democracy (see Chapter 1 of this volume). Both imply a range of functions and strategies that invariably stamp trade unions as political organisations (should politics be understood as activity aimed at influencing the exercise of power). Trade unions seek to influence the exercise of power at the workplace by providing a countervailing force to employer power. This typically occurs through the institution of collective bargaining and the regulatory function it performs in laying down labour standards – standards critical for workers to receiving a ‘just share of the fruits of progress’. Through the same processes, and more generally, the representative function of trade unions, organisations of working people seek to give workers a voice in the workplace and society at large.

It is not only industrial-political activities that characterise trade unions as political organisations but also their political-political activities (those aimed at influencing the exercise of governmental power). While the nature and extent of trade union involvement in such activities depends on a range of factors, there is no doubt that all trade unions will be involved in some kind of politicalpolitical activity. As Hyman has noted:

That is to say that political-political activity will be significant, whatever the model of trade unionism. It is clearly so with social movement unionism (aimed at socialising the capitalist economy) or radical unionism (directed at an anti-capitalist agenda) but also the case with business unionism (focused on collective bargaining). The importance of political-political activity is similarly recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) jurisprudence on the right to strike which does not sharply distinguish such activity from industrial-political activity.