This article explores the early history of the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU), which was the first pan-Arab labour organisation. Founded in 1956 on the initiative of trade union leaders from Egypt, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, the ICATU became an instrument of the Nasserist regime to spread pan-Arabism into North Africa and the Arab Middle East. After describing the birth and early activities of the ICATU, the ar ticle examines the relationship between the confederation and trade unions in the Maghreb countries — Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. Analysing attempts by the ICATU to ex pand, the study covers the period from its foundation to Algerian independence in 1962. The paper discusses how the spread of pan-Arab trade union internationalism in the Maghreb countries competed with pre-existing patterns of transnational solidarity, in particular the idea of Maghreb trade union unity and allegiance with international union confederations shaped by Cold War polarisation.