Comrade Chairperson

Comrade delegates

Distinguished guests

I rise on behalf of the Congress of South African Trade Unions to make a contribution to this historic debate as we focus on how best unions can reposition themselves to take forward the struggles of workers in the 21st Century.

Let me first congratulate the ICFTU General Secretary and the Executive Board for putting forward this vision for unions on the threshold of the new, globalised century. The millennium debate is undoubtedly the key debate of this Congress.

As we take the first steps into this, the African Century and the new millennium, the trade union movement continues to face challenges that result from the deepening process of globalisation of the world economy.

As the General Secretary so eloquently stated in his opening address, the undeniable fact is that globalisation has brought nothing but suffering and misery for workers and the poor. The central challenge we face as unions representing the workers of the world is how to change the face and nature of globalisation - how to ensure that the content, the morals, principles and traditions of the global system reflect the principles of solidarity, human rights, trade union rights, the right to work, freedom from poverty and discrimination. The challenge we face is that of bringing our policies and principles together into a coherent whole, based on justice for the workers and the poor. We face the challenge of articulating and proclaiming a powerful alternative to the so-called Washington consensus. Globalisation requires global unionism.

For us the sense of paralysis must be replaced by a new confidence born out of the triumph of the democratic forces over the evils of apartheid, colonialism, military dictatorship and all forms of oppression. We represent the majority, the millions of men and women workers from around the world. We have the power! Let us use our strength to rebuild this global village into a new village - our village - where citizens and workers can walk tall and free, instead of being bowed down under the inequalities and exclusions of our times.

Linked to this is the question of the growing gap between rich and poor countries – the great and growing divide between North and South. This gap between developed and under-developed nations continues to widen alarmingly. As COSATU we are gratified to note that this divide is recognised in all the key documents of this congress, in particular in the paper on Globalising Social Justice.

The current millennium debate needs to take these issues even further. Let us not limit ourselves to the recognition of the growing gaps between and within nations. Let us firmly and forthrightly proclaim the alternative for which we - the representatives of the workers - stand. We need to develop and agree concrete policies and specific proposals that we as the ICFTU and its national affiliates can advocate and campaign for to close these gaps. The values of the ICFTU union family dictate that this must be the route that we take. We call for a clear and specific ICFTU policy to address these gaps and to ensure that benefits of globalisation are equitably distributed to all. The alternative policy framework that COSATU calls for must clearly state how these gaps can be closed. The millennium review will have failed the workers in the developing countries if this challenge is not confronted.

In line with all this COSATU believes that everything possible should be done to ensure the ICFTU broadly mirrors the needs, the values and the aspirations the workers of the world. We cannot afford to return to the politics of regionalism, race or continentalism. We need to ensure a broadly representative ICFTU that is able to serve its global constituency, from Europe, the Americas, the Asian-Pacific region and Africa alike.

COSATU is aware of some of the proposals that will not necessarily be discussed here. We look forward to the ongoing discussion of these issues in the millennium debate. However, we should not debate for the sake of debate. The ICFTU is far too important a body to be a mere talk shop. Concrete programmes must emerge with clear, implementable time frames.

Chairperson and comrade delegates, the millennium debate should enable us to review and debate thoroughly our structures, our organisational strategy and the new collective bargaining strategies. As the ongoing processes of de-industrialisation take ever new forms, as work is casualised, outsourced, sub-contracted and made contingent through the break up of big enterprises into small companies, the challenge for unions is how to adjust, how to remain relevant, how to reach out to and represent our members in a changing economic environment.

In South Africa we have adjusted too slowly to these new conditions. This we are working to correct. Our response as ICFTU should be to ensure that we organise each and every worker, whether in the formal or informal economy. We must mobilise all workers irrespective of whether they are full time or casual, temporary or sub-contracted, or in labouring at home or in sweatshops. They remain workers. These workers, like all others in the formal sector, need to be organised and represented, and the ICFTU and its affiliates must lead that process.

Chairperson, the ICFTU is being called upon by both its historic mission and future generations of workers to ensure that our strength is not reduced, but that we grow ever stronger. We can only succeed to do so if we are able to adapt our organisation to the new conditions imposed on us by the process of globalisation.

The millennium discussion should involve looking into how we as unions can use the tools and technologies of globalisation to strengthen solidarity amongst workers worldwide. As information and communications technologies converge to become the dominant technology of the 21st century, we need to ensure the ability of unions to utilise those same tools in the service of the workers' cause. Unions need to use the same information and communications technology to strengthen global worker to worker solidarity.

Such technologies can ensure our campaigns are global campaigns, that workers are strengthened, and that their will to take forward their right is entrenched, can facilitate dissemination of worker news and the joint development of policy interventions. In this regard we support the demand for online rights for online workers. COSATU has itself begun a campaign to call for e-mail and internet access for each and every shop steward.

A central counter to the increasing power of multi-national corporations has to lie in the International Trade Secretariats. The millennium debate must result in the strengthening of the ITSs. We congratulate the ICFTU on today's launch of the Global Unions web site, which we believe has an important role to play in this endeavour. Strong ITSs are critical if we hope to tilt the balance of forces in favour of the workers and the poor.

COSATU looks forward to an ongoing fruitful interaction with you and all whose interest is the interest of the working people and the working class on these issues. We look forward to a strong ICFTU and strong ITSs, a continued voice for workers worldwide. Let us stamp globalisation with a human face, a workers' face!

Solidarity for ever.

An injury to one is an injury to all.

Amandla.