TRADE unionists at the United Nations in Geneva said at the weekend that they have had their trade unions re-recognised and have won improvements on consultation and dispute resolution.

The world body last year derecognised the CCISUA staff unions federation, which is affiliated to the General Federation of Trade Unions.

But the unions started a major world-wide lobbying campaign.

British government ministers were also lobbied directly — not least because the TUC suspected Foreign Secretary William Hague of having been a “behind-the-scenes promoter of derecognition.”

An online petition calling for trade union rights at the UN attracted 14,000 signatures.

CCISUA president Ian Richards said: “We know that management only came back to the table because unions, organisations and working people around the world were united in their anger at the way the secretary-general withdrew trade union recognition last June.”