N° 121 / 15 February 2001
The WCL at the World Social Forum
The WCL at the World Social Forum
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A WCL delegation took part in the 1st World Social Forum, which assembled in Porto Alegre (Brazil) on 25-30 January. A number of affiliates, among which in the first place the CAT from Brazil and the ACV-CSC from Belgium, were present as well. It was four days of intensive work during large conferences-debates in the morning and workshops (400 in all) in the afternoon. Several themes were dealt with. The main theme was: because neo-liberalism has failed, another world is not only necessary but also possible. This other world cannot be created by mitigating the globalisation somewhat, as the Davos Summit is trying to do, but by starting from the aspirations and plans of the organised civil society, to which also the trade unions belong. The WCL delegates took part in lots of debates, organised by the CAT and Social Alert among others, and in a long workshop of the CUT from Brazil, attend by hundreds of workers. The Brazilian and the foreign press reflected the WCL’s positions, including the one on the need for the trade unions to opt for spaces where an alternative to globalised social injustice can emerge. Despite a few obvious shortcomings and questions about the pluralist nature of the organisers this first Forum was a success, if we want to admit that social changes require time. The next steps have already been planned.
DOAWTU: Executive Committee
The DOAWTU Executive Committee assembled in Lomé, Togo, from 31 January to 2 February. The meeting was chaired by M. Kabbaj in substitution for president F. Kikongi, who could not be present because of the political developments in his country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. DOAWTU general secretary Alioune Sow, who is recovering, came to greet the Executive Committee members, wanting to contribute to the organisation’s good working like during his long absence. The Executive Committee, in which WCL general secretary Willy Thys took part, made a number of decisions on, among other things: the assessment of the plan of action for 2000 and the development of the programme for 2001, the financial policy, the DOAWTU’s expansion and the inter-union relations in the continent. The General Council will meet in July to prepare the WCL Congress (Bucharest 21-27 October).
Asia: towards a stronger Trade Action
Companies develop very fast: emerging companies, introduction of new technologies, new forms of labour organisation such as flexibility and shift work, training... Trade unions that want to provide their members with concrete responses must remain informed of such developments and proceed to collective bargaining at sectoral level, so that the working conditions for all workers from the sector are based on the same values and criteria. Trade action should conclude more agreements and undertake more activities per sector. So as to obtain more information and to arrive at mutual understanding with a view to favourable collective agreements, trade unions should also be involved the social dialogue at sectoral level. It is time to reconsider and discuss the organisation and co-ordination of Trade Action at regional and international levels. The Trade Action seminar of the Asian federations, which was held in Manila (Philippines) on 14-19 January 2001, was organised from this perspective.
Its purpose was a better assessment of the Asian trade federations and to examine what activities they undertake en what relations these federations maintain with the WCL’s international trade federations on top of their participation in the latter’s world seminars, congresses and board meetings. The seminar was organised by the BATU in co-operation with the WCL’s international trade federations and Trade Action. The seminar was very well organised and prepared. The participants were given the opportunity to declare themselves on the relations between all parties involved (Asian trade federations, BATU, WCL Trade Action) as well as on the concept and meaning of Trade Action in Asia and on the constitution of new decision-making and co-ordination bodies. At the end of the seminar it was decided to co-ordination the action of BATU Trade Action, of the international trade federations and of WCL Trade Action. Each ATF (Asian Trade Federation) has to develop its own policy in co-ordination with the other ATFs and the BATU through a Trade Action Committee.
The seminar, whose aim it was to strengthen Trade Action in Asia, was no doubt a first step in that direction. The next BATU Congress will clearly establish if new steps are taken.
Senegal : Congress of UDTS
The 4th Congress of the UDTS (Union Démocratique des Travailleurs du Sénégal) assembled in Dakar, Senegal, on 29-30 December 2000. Its theme was: "The trade union movement of the workers in the 21st century". Alioune Sow, outgoing UDTS general secretary, presented to the Congress a summary of the confederation’s policy and activities reports covering the period 1996-2000. The main concern of the Congress delegates was an urgent call on the national, continental and international movement to create a trade union front in order to take up the new challenges, taking into account the common problems, and to create a unity among the workers and their organisations to tackle the disastrous effects of the globalisation. Massar Fall, UDTS administrative secretary, said that his organisation wanted to take this new course to protect the workers: "The trade union movement has to unite in order to counter the cold logic of the market". A. Sow agreed with this statement: "We are contending with problems one single trade union can’t solve". This statement was a plea for concerted action.
The Congress re-elected Alioune Sow head of the new team, expressed again his support of the DOAWTU and the WCL and reaffirmed his faith in international solidarity.
The USO and the sentence of Pinochet
In the opinion of the USO the trial, sentence and most probable condemnation of Pinochet are acts of extraordinary justice for the thousands of victims and their families, who have fought for 30 years to live this moment. The USO is pleased with the fact that Pinochet has been put in the dock at last to answer for the crimes and cruelties since 1973, when he organised the military uprising to overthrow the constitutional government of Salvador Allende. According to the USO, the "Pinochet case" shows that a new era has begun, in which the administration of justice must be globalised and all those who violate the freedom, dignity or lives of people will have to pay for these crimes, either in the country of origin or before an international court of justice. It goes without saying that the WCL shares the position of its Spanish affiliate.
DOAWTU Women’s Committee
The Board of the DOAWTU’s Pan-African Women’s Committee met in Lomé, Togo, on 24-26 January 2001 in order to examine how to revitalise this Committee with a view to taking more women up in the trade union structures and to improving the protection of the women workers’ rights. That is why the African women made all preparations for their participation in the 5th WCL Women’s Conference, scheduled for October 2001. They drew up a document on trade union strategies in the 21st century, taking into account the massive presence of women on the labour market. An activities report of the Committee was presented to the DOAWTU Executive Committee, which assembled two days later
Vietnam : decease of a great trade union leader
It is our sad duty to inform you of the decease of Tran Huu Quyen, president of the Confédération Vietnamienne du Travail - CVT, on 1 January 2001 at the age of 85.
As a young student he was active in the liberation movement for the independence of Vietnam. Several times he was arrested and confined in a penal establishment, in 1942 for the last time. Once set free, in 1945, he returned to Saigon and left the political movement. In 1949 he was together with Tran Quoc Buu one of the founders of the Confédération Vietnamienne du Travail (CVT), the first Asian affiliate of the WCL. He remained in office until April 1975. During those years he helped carry through countless social measures and laws. The collective agreement for workers at hevea plantations, which was signed in March 1960, was the first one signed in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
When the communists seized power in South Vietnam, he fled abroad, but he always remained in touch with the CVT members who had stayed in the country, and kept leading the CVT from overseas.
Human rights violations: Update
The WCL has been informed of the plans of the Mauritian government to restructure the sugar industry. The government indeed asked the sugar-industry authorities to draw up a five-year plan of action, despite the declaration of the prime minister and the minister of finance that the restructuring would kill 6,000 jobs.
The WCL urged the Mauritian president in writing to intermediate personally in the talks with the trade unions before a decision is made about slimming down the sugar industry.
Cuba : trade union -leader set free
The WCL was very pleased with the information that Pedro Pablo Alvarez, president of the Consejo Unitario de Trabajadores Cubanos (CUTC), a young independent workers’ organisation affiliated to the CLAT and the WCL, was set free on 26 January 2001 in the evening. Brother Alvarez was arrested in mid October 2000 and formally accused of resisting his arrest. The order for his release arrived after more than three months for lack of proof. This only confirms that the sole reason for his arrest was the fact that he had convened a Congress. He informed us that he had been treated normally and with respect during his imprisonment. It was also confirmed that strong pressure had been exerted on the government. These facts confirm once again that the Cuban government just ignores the trade union rights. The WCL continues to insist on the official recognition of the CTUC.
Schedule of activities
1/3 ILO Expert Group Brussels (Belgium)
2/3 WFCW Board Luxemburg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg)
5/3 WFIW Executive Committee Brussels (Belgium)
11-15/3 Visit to IMF/World Bank / WCL Executive Committee Washington (USA)
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