International Federation of Trade Unions

IFTU

International Federation of Trade Unions
Amsterdam International
Predecessor	International Secretariat of National Trade Union Centres
Merged into	World Federation of Trade Unions
Founded	July 1919
Dissolved	1945
Headquarters	Several Cities
Location	International
Key people	W. A. Appleton, Walter Citrine

The International Federation of Trade Unions (also known as the Amsterdam International) was an international organization of trade unions, existing between 1919 and 1945. IFTU had its roots in the pre-war IFTU.

IFTU had close links to the Labour and Socialist International.^[1] The IFTU was opposed by the Communist-controlled trade unions. After the American AFL dropped out in 1925 the IFTU became a mainly European body with social democratic orientation. Its primary activity was to lobby the League of Nations and national governments on behalf of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

There were various International Trade Secretariats. The major ITS was the International Transportworkers Federation.^[1]

As of 1930 it had affiliates in 29 countries and a combined membership of 13.5 million.^[2] Its headquarters was in Amsterdam 1919–1930, in Berlin 1931–1933, in Paris 1933–1940 and in London 1940–1945. Walter Schevenels was the secretary-general of the IFTU 1930–1945. The IFTU dissolved in 1945 to be replaced by the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).