Held under the theme “Advancing the Decent Work Agenda through Living Wage Estimation and Implementation in Africa,” the training brought together about 60 trade union representatives and researchers, with women accounting for approximately 40% of participants. Participants were mainly drawn from the Trade Union Research Committees (CARES) in eight Francophone West African countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo – as well as from the African Trade Union Network for Economic Transformation (ATUNET).

The first day focused on the conceptual and methodological foundations of living wages. ILO experts clarified the distinctions and linkages between minimum wages, adequate wages and living wages, relevant international labour standards, and the ILO approach to living wage estimation and operationalisation. Participants were also introduced to a methodology that considers essential household needs such as food, housing, health and education in determining the wage required to support a decent standard of living.

The second day moved from estimation to action, examining the economic factors that influence wage-setting, including productivity, employment and prevailing wage levels. Attention was given to how trade unions can transform research and economic data into stronger arguments for collective bargaining and wage negotiations. Discussions also addressed gender-responsive wage-setting, working time, the situation of informal economy workers, and the importance of strong labour institutions and effective social dialogue.

A key message emerging from the training was that living wage estimation should not be an end in itself. Evidence generated through research must serve as a practical tool for trade unions to strengthen collective bargaining, engage governments and employers, and advocate for wage policies that respond to the needs of workers and their families.

Following the training, CARES researchers are expected to advance the living wage research process at national level, while ITUC-Africa/ALREI will continue to facilitate technical exchanges and collaboration with ATUNET, the ILO and Institut Belleville/CFDT.
Through this initiative, ITUC-Africa seeks to build a stronger pool of trade union researchers and economic specialists capable of turning research into evidence, evidence into advocacy, and advocacy into concrete progress towards living wages, decent work and social justice in Africa.