Trade unions have a long history of transnational solidarity in different forms and flavours. Since the 1990s unions in Northern countries have increasingly established structural mechanisms to support their Southern counterparts, including through Official Development Assistance (ODA). We examine how the increased encapsulation of trade union internationalism within the global development paradigm is reshaping the relations between African and Northern unions. Based on empirical data across several African countries we argue that trade union development cooperation (TUDC) is not a one way street. African unions are not passive recipients of aid but have used ODA to address structural weaknesses such as a declining membership and consequential loss of funds. Nevertheless, TUDC in practice often translates into programmes driven by resource- and capacity building-logics. Both findings bring a layered understanding of the transformative potential of TUDC.