THE INTERNATIONAL Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is scheduled to launch a direct counter-offensive against the escalating billionaire-led coup dismantling democratic institutions worldwide.
According to a terse promotional campaign statement signed by ITUC General Secretary, Luc Triangle, the global union federation will host an urgent webinar on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 to release what is likely to be an explosive new report, entitled “Corporate Underminers of Democracy 2025”, which it said will name and shame seven powerful corporations for systematically destroying workers’ rights and profiting from militarism and surveillance.
The report, ITUC said, moves beyond documenting bad corporate behaviour to exposing a coordinated, far-right assault on the very foundations of democracy.
The report’s findings reveal a clear pattern, said Triangle, noting that these corporations are not merely exploiting workers but are actively financing the political forces working to destroy democratic norms, roll back decades of social progress, and silence dissent.
“This isn’t just about bad corporate behaviour. We’re witnessing a coordinated assault on democracy itself – led by far-right billionaires who are weaponising their wealth to roll back decades of progress towards peace and fundamental rights. They are actively undermining democracy to advance militarism, surveillance, and far-right agendas,” Triangle said.
Triangular said the September 16 webinar will serve as a global teach-in, detailing how corporate power and far-right politicians are interconnected.
He added that the webinar will feature real-world testimony from the front lines, including cases of union-busting in Sweden and the erection of surveillance towers on the US-Mexico border, illustrating the global nature of this anti-democratic playbook.
“Corporate Underminers of Democracy 2025 exposes a clear pattern: these companies aren’t just harming workers – they’re actively financing the far-right forces that seek to destroy democracy as we know it.
“Join us on 16 September to hear how we’re fighting back #ForDemocracy. Register now and discover: How the billionaire coup operates – The connections between corporate power and far-right politicians. Real examples from around the world – From union-busting in Sweden to surveillance towers on the US-Mexico border.
“How we’re standing together in solidarity – Hear from trade unions around the world leading the fight to protect democracy for working people everywhere.
“When we stand together in strong unions and demand a democracy that actually works for working people, we can reverse this trend. We can build economies that put workers first, not corporate profits. And we can make sure global institutions answer to the people they’re supposed to serve — us.”
The campaign challenges the notion that figures like Trump and Musk are isolated cases, instead framing them as the most visible examples of a global phenomenon. “Who’s your Trump? Who’s your Musk?” the campaign asks, urging a global movement to name and shame the oligarchs pulling strings in every country.
The September 16th event is a critical mobilization point for a growing resistance. It builds on the momentum of the ITUC’s May Day campaign launch and its Global Day of Action on the 80th anniversary of the defeat of fascism in WWII.
“We see the results of this coup: crumbling public services, stagnant wages, and attacks on our rights, while they enjoy record profits and zero accountability,” Triangle had stated in his May Day message, adding: “But when we stand together in strong unions and demand a democracy that works for working people, we can reverse this trend. It’s time to reclaim democracy from the billionaire class.”
The ITUC therefore calls on workers, activists, and all concerned citizens to join the September 16 webinar, stand in solidarity with global trade unions, and join the fight to expose and defeat the Corporate Underminers of Democracy.
