Cosatu welcomes new International Trade Union Confederation 31 - 10 - 06

COSATU welcomes new International Trade Union Confederation

A strong delegation from the Congress of South African Trade Unions, led by its President, Willie Madisha, 2nd Deputy President, Violet Seboni, General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, and National Treasurer, Alina Rantsolase, and leaders of its affiliates, are in Vienna, Austria, to take part in the historic launch of the new International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

This is a merger between the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labour (WCL). It will create the most representative and united international trade union organisation in history, a global workers' challenge to the worldwide problem of globalisation.

And it will face very serious challenges indeed. As the outgoing general secretaries of the ICFTU and WCL, Guy Ryder and Willy Thys, have written: "This historic launch comes at a time when even the most ardent cheerleaders of globalisation are asking themselves whether all is well on its uneven playing field. The shift in income away from labour towards capital is widely felt. Workers feel it in stagnant or falling wages, with half of those employed around the world living in poverty. Meanwhile, businesses enjoy record profits. Governments pay more attention to those who tell them to be unobtrusive than to their citizens, who demand that they fulfil their obligations of provision and protection.

"Trade unions," they say, "do not want anyone excluded from the global economy nor believe they can be. But they do want it subjected to reasonable regulation applicable to all countries, along with respect for workers' rights. Similarly, capital will continue to be internationally mobile and the world division of labour will evolve accordingly.

"Here, too, it is possible to subject investment decisions to basic regulation and to mitigate adverse employment effects. But international institutions have shown little interest or capacity to do so. Each seems intent on pursuing its own agenda in isolation from the others. Governments, to their discredit, have been ready to preside over this policy incoherence.

"Unionists can do better, too. While we proclaim our commitment to changing the world, we sometimes have trouble changing ourselves. This is where the ITUC comes in. With some 400 affiliates in more than 150 countries, it is a chance to make history. We must use this opportunity to ensure that trade unions effectively represent working people in the global economy. The ITUC can become the instrument of a new trade union internationalism equal to the challenges and circumstances of globalisation."

International solidarity is one of COSATU's founding principles and we have always taken it very seriously. We will take the opportunity provided by the launch of the new world body to rededicate ourselves to the fight to defend and improve the lives of working people across the world.

This will include the battle against child labour and the struggle for a world trade regime which puts an end to the rich Northern powers domination and exploitation of the developing southern countries and the majority of the world's people.

COSATU sends greetings, solidarity and best wishes to the new confederation and pledges its total support to its campaigns.