Category Archives: WFTU

Massive Protests and Strikes in Italy

17 Monday Nov 2014

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Friday was a day of anti-government protests and strikes across Italy. While metalworkers’ FIOM Union staged a walkout in northern Italy, the base union COBAS called a 24-hour nationwide public transport industrial action, causing severe disruption in many Italian cities.

Smaller unions representing public sector researchers and private firm workers were also present in the strikes and demonstrations. And all of them were angry at the government’s labor reforms and harsh budget measures. Violence has been recorded in Padua and Milan. Several policemen were injured when a group of protesters tried to climb the Colosseum in Rome. While trains and buses have stopped running and planes have idled on tarmacs and much of Italy slipped into a state of temporary paralysis, thousands of students have gathered in central Rome to protest against the planned education reform. Students are accusing the government of wanting to destroy public free education, turning schools into factories for the job market. The Rome demonstration also featured people demanding greater social housing. Migrants and refugees were also angry about the government as well as the European Union’s migration policies which they described as draconian. (Courtesy: Ganashakti)

 

International Action Day observed in New Delhi.

04 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNLEU, WFTU

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The International Action day falls on 3rd October, the Foundation Day of World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), which was formed on 3rd October 1945. Since 3rd October this year was on Dusserah, the Day was observed on 4th October in Delhi.
A well participated procession was organised from the AITUC office to BTR Bhawan, the office of the CITU, where the meeting was held in the Conference Hall. Representatives of Central Trade Unions and Independent federations were present. On behalf of BSNLEU and AIBDPA, Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, K.G.Jayaraj, and staff from BSNLEU Office participated.

The presidium consisted of Coms. Amarjit Kaur (AITUC), Hemalatha (CITU) and leaders UTUC, AIUTUC, AICCTU etc.Coms. A.K.Padmanabhan (CITU), Dhar (AITUC) and other leaders addressed and focused on the history of WFTU, the demands placed by it and the theme for this year’s Action Day, ‘Unemployment’. Sustained struggle is required to compel the government to provide more jobs and reduce unemployment. The government was also criticised for not accepting the ILO Conventions 87 and 98 which provides the right to organise, strike etc.

Similar observation of the ‘International Action Day’ have been received from many parts of the country, where BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF have participated actively.

Organise International Workers’ Day on 3rd October 2014

02 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, WFTU, WORLD NEWS

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The International Workers’ Day is being observed on 3rd October for the last few years as per call of the World Federation of Trade unions (WFTU). It was on this day that the WFTU was formed in 1945. Every year the WFTU allots a theme / slogan for the year’s International Day. Last year the theme was Water, Housing, Medicine and Education.
This year the theme is ‘unemployment’. There are millions of youngsters in the world who do not have jobs. In India, the number has reached many crores. It is increasing every year. The neo-liberal policies have resulted in reduction of jobs and increase of unemployment.Though lip-service is done by the Government, no practical action is taken to provide jobs for all. To a certain extent, this is the situation in the capitalist countries also.

This International Day of Workers will focus on the issue of unemployment. In India the Day is being observed jointly by the Left trade Unions like CITU, AITUC etc. The Independent Federations in the various sectors as also the central and State government employees are also joining. The AIBDPA, pensioners’ organisation of the DOT-BSNL and also the Casual and Contract workers in BSNL are joining in the observation of the Day.All the units of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF are requested to join the united programme of the trade unions on 3rd October. If the programme is organised on another day due to the festival on that day, we should also join the same.

In Delhi, CITU, AITUC and other Left trade Unions along with Independent Federations will observe International workers day on 4th October.A procession will start at 1300 hours from AITUC office on Deena Dayal Upadhyaya Road and hold the meeting at CITU Office.

Make all arrangements for the successful observance of the day.

Anti-Imperialist Convention in Bolivia

07 Thursday Aug 2014

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An International Anti-Imperialist Convention was jointly organised in Cochabamba, Bolivia jointly World Federation of Trade Unions and Bolivian Government as well as the trade Unions of Bolivia from 30th June to 2nd July 2014. 35 delegates from trade unions,including CITU, of 21 countries participated. Eva Morales, President of Bolivia, took the initiative for the meeting.
The Convention demanded Democratisation of United nations, Expressed Solidarity with Palestine and Cuba etc. WFTU Secretary General George Mavrikos was authorized to work out the details for continuing the movement. (Courtesy : Working Class)

Support Palestine People in their Crisis – WFTU

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

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I am reproducing below the appeal issued by World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) calling the TUs world over to give Solidarity and Support to the people of palestine in their crisis created by the Israel supported by US. All have to support.
Palestine: WFTU International Solidarity Campaign

04 Aug 2014

The WFTU, in coordination with the General Union of Palestinian Workers (GUPW) is initiating a Campaign of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, aiming to strengthen international trade union solidarity with the Palestinian People against the murderous policy of the Israeli Government, the attacks, the kidnappings and the expansion of the settlements in the Palestinian territories and raise money to send out medication and other needed articles to the suffering people of Palestine.

All people, workers and trade unions interested will have to send their donations to the following bank account and also notify the WFTU via info@wftucentral.org or fax number (+30) 210 9214517.

BANK ACCOUNT:
Bank name: NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE
Account Holders: 1. BALTAS ILIAS 2. IQNAIBI MOHAMMED ABDEL AZIZ
Account Number: 146/ 762787-41
IBAN: GR8701101460000014676278741
SWIFT CODE BANK: (BIC) ETHNGRAA

Solidarity of Greece Workers to Palestine

04 Monday Aug 2014

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Greece: Palestine solidarity activity held by PAME and WFTU
01 Aug 2014
GREECE, PALESTINE, SOLIDARITY

On July 31st, the All Workers Militant Front (PAME) of Greece and the WFTU held in Athens, Greece, at the national football stadium of Aegaleo, a massive event of solidarity with the People of Palestine. The act of solidarity was attended buy thousands of workers and included a solidarity soccer match and cultural acts.

Valentin Pacho Quispe, Deputy General Secretary of the WFTU, the consul of the Palestinian Authority in Greece Mohhamed Abu Apha, Yota Tavoulari, president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical workers of Greece and Mohamed Iqnaibi, representative of the General Union of Palestinian Workers (GUPW) were present and addressed the meeting. Also, the Federation of Palestinian Women sent a solidarity message that was read during the activity.

The WFTU was represented by Valentin Pacho Quispe, who delivered the following address:

“I’m here with you on behalf of the World Federation of Trade Unions to express the feeling of the 90 million workers from the 5 continents of solidarity with the people of Palestine and energetic condemnation of the genocide against the Palestinian brothers perpetrated by the imperialist government of Israel.

The working class and the peoples of the world, with great indignation hold large demonstrations condemning the criminal government of Israel. The unions affiliated to the WFTU on every continent hold actions of solidarity with the Palestinian people and demand punishment for those responsible -for government of Israel- for crimes against humanity.

Also, many governments – by the demand of the workers in Latin America, as my country Peru, have withdrawn their ambassadors from Israel in an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people and protest against the criminal actions of the Zionist government of Israel.

The people of Palestine are not alone, they have the solidarity of the peoples of the world. WFTU condemns the imperialist governments of the United States and the countries of the European Union, these hypocrites who shamelessly support the Zionist and racist government of Israel.

The struggle and resistance of the Palestinian people will be victorious. Because when you fight for a just cause, it ends in victory. So the WFTU will always stand by the Palestinian people, until they gain their own independent and sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.

Honor and glory to the resistance of the Palestinian people!
Long live international solidarity!”

Vietnam: Working Women Conference

02 Saturday Aug 2014

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I am giving below a portion of the speech of WFTU representative Vahida Nizam of India at the Women Conference in Vietnam:

July 28, 2014
PACIFIC ASIA , VIETNAM , WOMEN RIGHTS
AITUC Vahidha Nizam from India, Represented the WFTU Leadereship and addressed the main Intervention at the Asia-Pacific Working Women Conference, que took place in Hanoi, Vietnam on 23-25 ​​July 2014.
“This workshop is for women workers Organised at The most crucial juncture. Rightly WFTU has felt the exigent imperative need for this exercise, to Organise and equip women to fight against the capitalist barbarism for equality and justice, “she noted.
Speaking about the objective of the Conference she Underlined: “Our discussions here will indeed open up new views, Broaden our horizons and Provide newer and wider prospects to move towards our objective. All the Delegates assembled here, we trust, Should be Possessing knowledge and experience of the issues on hand. At the end of the day, we know not That women workers do not have an alternative except to fight against the capitalist onslaught. A united struggle of all workers, men and women, against the exploitative system to usher in an era of equitable society Which alone can Ensure equality and justice to women, is the need of the hour. Socialism it is, That is our objective. ”
The exploitation will not be everlasting Vahidha Nizam said: “Subjugation and oppression of women is not an inescapable Evil That Existed and would continue in the long run of history. It was in the historic transformation and creation of family as the economic unit started the oppression of women and it is the economic logic of capitalism That is responsible for the acute poverty and the wretched squalor Suffered by women workers. In all the epochs Earlier in the present aeon as capitalism has Always Been anti women as much as it has-been anti worker. Sexual division of labor was imposed by the capitalist system. Family as the economic unit is an integrated part of reproduction of capitalist relations to Ensure steady supply of labor power. The discrimination based on gender and dismal deprivation of women is the making of capitalist cruelty. Poverty and miseries, unemployment and underemployment, job loss and wage cut, menial jobs for women, denial of maternity benefit and social security, job insecurity and unprotected migrant labor – all at once are the attributes of the capitalist cruelty. There can be no other option except to renew our historic vow, “Overthrow of capitalism is our objective”.

Solidarity of TUI (P and R) to Palestine Workers and People

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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Solidarity of the Trade Union International of the Pensioners and Retired (TUI of P&R)of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
to the Palestinian workers and to the Palestinian people.
On the name of the millions of members whom it represents, the TUI of P &R of the WFTU announces its total solidarity with the Palestinian people and its profound indignation in front of murderous bombardments of Israel on Gaza.
The TUI of the P&R condemns the criminal state of Israel , responsible of scenes of horrors with their procession of broken lives, of women’s and children’s bodies, burned and ripped,
illustrating the horrible crimes committed by the Israeli army, more than 700 dead people, thousands of wounded persons, hundreds of destroyed houses.
The TUI denounces the United States and the European Union which support, even encourage
the murderers of Palestinian people.
We condemn genocide of the Palestinian people.
The TUI of the P&R demands:
 the immediate stopping of bombardments
 the lifting of the illegal and criminal blockade on Gaza
 the international protection for the Palestinian people
 the liberation of all the Palestinian political prisoners
 the dismantling of colonies and the wall of the apartheid
 the creation of a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem for capital
 that the state of Israel is judged for crime against Humanity
The TUI of P&R expresses its solidarity and its support to the Palestinian workers and to the people. (TUI(P&R)

WFTU Seminar in Geneva

17 Thursday Jul 2014

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GENEVA, ILO, SWITZERLAND, UN
A seminar was organized in Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday July 12th, by the WFTU Geneva Office on the topic of the ILO and UN policies, the role of the WFTU and the action plan for the improvement of its presence in the International Organizations.

The seminar was attended by young trade unionists and militants inspired by the WFTU strategy and positions and willing to become active in its work under the coordination of the Geneva Office.

With enthusiasm and responsibility the decision was taken to revitalize the work of the WFTU Antenna in Switzerland.