Trade unions in Cape Verde have operated in three distinct periods: prior to the country's independence from Portugal in 1975, from 1975 to 1990 under the single-party rule of the PAIGC/PAICV and since 1990 under a pluralistic party and trade union environment. While the constitution protects the right to organise and form unions without restriction, the right to strike is curtailed.^[1]: 502 Two national trade union centres presently exist: the Cape Verde Confederation of Free Trade Unions (CCSL) and the National Union of Workers of Cape Verde - Central Union (UNTC-CS).

Before 1975, organised workers were mostly represented in professional structures which did little activity of a trade union nature, such as collective bargaining.^[2]