The African Labour Researcher's Network is a group of trade union-linked researchers from all over Africa. The network was formed in the beginning of 2001 as an African-owned research initiative, which seeks to increase the regional/global coherence and profile of African Labour and policy proposals. Initially the network covered Ghana Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia but has since grown and now includes Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Angola.

Objectives of the network include:

• carrying out collaborative policy-oriented research for the African labour movement on common challenges
• producing education materials for the labour movement
• capacity building e.g. exchange programmes and training of ALRN members
• expanding the network to further high quality trade union-linked research institutes
• interacting closely with other global research and social movement networks such as the Global Policy Network and the World Social Forum.