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1ST OCTOBER , 2017 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FIGHT FOR PENSIONERS’ RIGHTS

11 Monday Sep 2017

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AIBDPA has called upon all Branches / Circles to observe October 1st as International Day of Fight for Pensioners’ Rights. The call of the WFTU in this connection is given below:

OCTOBER 1ST, 2017
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FIGHT FOR PENSIONERS’ RIGHTS

Capitalism is pushing new anti-worker measures against pensioners, the working class and the people. The solutions that governments-administrators use are temporary and weak, without perspective or positive exit for those who with their work produce wealth in society and only give benefit to a handful of capitalists who collect, to an immense extent, the fruits of the exploitation.
The measures taken by the leaders of capitalist development, with the competitiveness of capitalists as its motor, require new sacrifices on the part of the working class, pensioners and the people, greater exploitation, and the elimination of all remaining rights. Greater limitation and abolition of public social care for the benefit of the private, annulment of collective agreements and extra payments to pensioners; in addition, to a further reduction of costs for health, medicines, and social benefits.
All this is complemented by new concessions to the big capital, through privatizations, of important sectors of the economy, in energy, transport, water, natural resources, and new tax exemptions.
In the name of capitalist competitiveness, pensioners and retirees throughout the world are experiencing the worsening of their lives and the lives of their children. Their pensions are cut, health benefits are reduced and privatized, social structures dissolve, their rights are generally restricted.
To achieve these objectives, capital does not hesitate to resort to bloody conflicts and wars throughout the world, in which it violently appropriates the wealth of many people of the planet.
We call for the action of all our organizations and friendly organizations, for the next October 1st, international Day of Pensioners, with demands that correspond to our true needs, having as perspective of our struggle a society without exploitation, poverty, wars, nor calamities. We will fight with unity and common action with the working class, the people, and all those who suffer capitalist exploitation.
We strive in this direction: For free and public social security, medical care and pharmaceutical assistance for all, without conditions or requirements. We will claim the right to public and enough pensions, reducing the age limit for men, and setting them earlier for women. Pensions must meet our current needs, so we may live a life with dignity. For social benefits, housing, clean water and leisure, public, free and quality.

WE ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRUMBS THAT THE CAPITALIST BARBARITY GIVES.

(Machine Translation from Spanish)

Indian TU Delegates visited WFTU Monument in Athens, Greece

09 Saturday Sep 2017

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WFTU CIRCUAR Dated 07-09-2017

The Delegations from South Africa and India visited the WFTU Monument in Kaisariani-Athens, Greece
The delegation of CITU India composed by the CITU President Dr Kandikuppa Hemalata, CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen and the member of the WFTU Secretariat Swadesh Dev Roye and the delegation of the South African Affiliates of WFTU composed by General Secretary of NUM, comrade David Sipunzi, General Secretary of NEHAWU, comrade Zola Zapetha, General Secretary of POPCRU, comrade Nkosinathi Theledi and the POPCRU leaders, comrades Amelia Mahlatsi, Boitumelo Pheleo, Hangwani Mashao, Mosadiwamaje Mokokong. headed by the WFTU President Mzwandile Michael Makwayiba and the WFTU General Secretary George Mavrikos visited the monument of WFTU in the municipality of Kaisariani in Athens, Greece and paid tribute to international working class and its leaders.

Thessalonki Declaration of Trade Unions

05 Tuesday Sep 2017

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With The Workers Of All Countries For A World Without Exploitation, Wars, Refugees

On June 24, 2017, a large demonstration of thousands of workers against NATO was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, against the imperialist wars and interventions that destroy people and create millions of refugees. On June 25, trade unions from various countries of the region met and discussed the position of the workers, of the trade union movement, against the dangerous developments and the competitions of monopolies and imperialist organizations that victimize the peoples.

The international, anti-imperialist, anti-war, trade union meeting estimated that the Working Class must be on alert, prepared, and fight against both the anti-workers’ policies of the Capital and its governments, and against the competitions of the imperialists. The focus of their competitions is:

  • How to share the damages of the crisis and how they will benefit from the capitalist development, which all agree that is weak, with big problems.
  • Which monopolies will take the lead in the course of the competition
  • Who is going to take control of the markets, the energy sources of gas, oil and even water, the energy pipes and commercial transport routes.

In all countries, capitalist governments, participate in imperialist competitions, interventions and wars, with one or another imperialist group. Their main concern is to defend the interests of the ruling class of their own country, their business groups in the international chessboard. Their declarations of peace and security are rapidly increasing as far as their war budget is growing.

Workers of the world are witnessing the spread of war in more and more areas, especially in our region. The Balkan peoples pay for the consequences of border change, state dismemberment and the continued cultivation of nationalist hatred, the boot of USA-NATO-EU in the region in the context of their capitalist competition with Russia and China, the interests of the bourgeoisie in the countries of the region.

At the same time, the EU is strengthening its militarization. It establishes a European Army, European Headquarters, emergency forces (the Eurocorps), and promotes the European Defense Union as well as the European Defense Fund.

NATO and the EU are transnational imperialist unions, of which the peoples can only wait for exploitation and poverty, war and refuge for the many and immense wealth for the very few and in our country it is our duty to strengthen our struggle against them.

At the same time, the working class at international level is experiencing the continuation of a brutal attack against its rights. For the profits of business groups, the European Union and governments of each country, legislate anti-labor measures. They cut wages or give rise to very small increases that are evaporated by all the anti-people measures while the monopolies are getting wealthier. An important attack is  against the rights of workers to trade union action, the right to organize in trade unions and the right to strike.

The all-out attack that condemns the working class in each country to unemployment, poverty, and impoverishment is one aspect of the of class policies.

The other side is the unjust imperialist war that unfolds for the interests of the big financial groups. (Courtesy: WFTU)

WFTU hails decisions of Workers National Convention in India

12 Saturday Aug 2017

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WFTU has given the following statement on the National Convention of workers in India.

India: The National Convention of Workers decided the next militant steps of the Trade Unions
10 Aug 2017ASIA, INDIA
The Trade Unions of India during the National Convention of Workers discussed about the current developments, the increasing anti-labor policies of India government and worker’s standard of living.

The Convention examined the previous action of the trade union movement and the continuing government’s provocative rejection and indifference of the 12-point Charter of Demands on minimum wage, social security, workers’ status and pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatization and mass scale contractorisation etc.

The convention was organised by the joint platform of all the central trade unions – CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF, and the National Federations of State and Central Government employees and the employees in a wide range of sectors such as banking, telecom, coal, steel, transport and construction.

The Convention decided the next militant steps below:

1. To work for achieving and accelerating united struggles in all the sectors of the economy on respective demands, which have already begun
2. To Organize level massive campaigns at various levels: Block, District, Industrial Centres and State level; mobilisation and convention in preparation to central mobilization to be followed
3. Massive three days dharna (protest) at National Capital on 9th,10th and 11th Nov. to be attended by workers from all over the country.
4. The National Convention calls upon the working people to prepare for indefinite countrywide strike action against the anti people, anti national activities of the Govt.

World Federation of Trade Unions
Central Offices in Athens
40, Zan Moreas str, 117 45 Athens, GREECE

Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of TUI (Public Services) at Thiruvananthapuram on 11-12 September 2017

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

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It is reported that the Asia – Pacific Regional meeting of Trade Union International (TUI) – Public Services (WFTU) and World Secretariat meeting will be held at Thiruvananthapuram on 11th & 12th September 2017. This is the international organisation of the Public Services which includes the service organisations including BSNLEU, Confederation etc. It is affiliated to World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). We are happy that this session is being held at Thiruvananthapuram , when more and more attacks are coming against the workers both in India and outside. We hope that fruitful decisions will be taken by the Meeting.

World Day Against Child Labour – 12th June 2017

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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WFTU Declaration on the World Day Against Child Labour, 12th june

The World Federation of Trade Unions -WFTU-, which is the militant voice of 92 million workers in 126 countries of the globe, on the occasion of June 12th, World Day Against Child Labor, reaffirms its strong condemnation to this anachronistic and barbaric situation.

The WFTU since its foundation has fought by all its means and resources against all forms of capitalist exploitation, either “disguised” or clearly barbarian. Child labor is one of them, and the constant struggle against it is a matter of principle of our world trade union family, especially since it is a form of exploitation that industrialists and other big businessmen had been taking advantage of since the very beginning of their inhuman and exploitative system: The fortunes of bourgeois were created by the hands and blood of children.

Nowadays, the situation remains tragic since 168 million children are working in various jobs around the world, with the picture in the Asia-Pacific region being dramatic: about 9.3% of the child population is forced to work. With the outbreak of the capitalist crisis and the deepening of intra-imperialist rivalries, the exploitation of children is intensifying even more, always with a view to maximizing the profits of multinationals. Child workers are mainly employed in the sectors of agriculture, fishing and mining, while other children work even as modern-day slaves. In fact, immigrant children often suffer double exploitation, even in regions that were boasting about having eliminated this phenomenon, such as Europe.

Most of the time, these children suffer irreparable psychological, intellectual, social or moral injuries while many of them also fall victims of sexual exploitation. Despite the UN, ILO and other international organizations’ declarations, child labor still occurs at a large scale worldwide.

Once again the WFTU is clearly stating that the struggle for the abolition of child labor it more timely than ever. At the same time, it calls on all trade unions to take action so as to guarantee the rights of children. We call for action for:
a) public, free and compulsory education for the new generation. Abolition of all forms of child labor.
b) ensuring leisure and recreation for children, with a view to the healthy development of their psychological and mental health.
c) healthcare for the satisfaction of contemporary needs of the new generation.

At the same time, as class-oriented international trade union movement, we demand the abolition of the terms that figure in the laws of many countries, concerning “consent” of a child to work. Children’s rights are non-negotiable!
Stop to child labor!
Struggle for the protection of children’s rights!

WFTU SG’s Speech in ILO

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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The WFTU General Secretary addressed the 106th ILC Plenary Session today on June 12th, 2017
12 Jun 2017106th ILC, GS SPEECHES, ILO
106ILC – Plenary – June 12,2017

Speech of the World Federation of Trade Unions General Secretary Mr. George Mavrikos

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the World Federation of Trade Unions, we would like to extend our warm greetings to all representatives of trade union organizations of workers.

We live in a time period in which life, life quality, work and working conditions for the working class and the poor farmers are getting worse and worse day-by-day in all capitalist world.

The situation for all workers is crucial; the younger generations, the young workers, the young scientists and the young farmers are living in uncertainty and insecurity about the future.

The WFTU tries to organize the resistance and the struggles of trade unions in every corner of the planet, with the aim of defending the rights acquired by workers in every country and sector.

From this podium, we condemn the trade union persecutions in Kazakhstan; we express our solidarity with trade unionists in Colombia who suffer from the violence of paramilitary groups; especially we stand by the side of Colombian trade unionists who struggle against the efforts for dismantling of their trade unions. By the side of the workers in Honduras who struggle for collective bargaining agreements, by the side of Teachers in Mexico in their struggles against the education reforms, we express our solidarity with the ex-Braceros and with our brothers in Angola. We express our solidarity with the teachers and the working class in Turkey who suffer the consequences of the anti-democratic policies of the government of Turkey. We condemn the anti-labor policy of SAMSUNG multinational and we support the Samsung General Labor Union and its General Secretary Kim Sung Hwan who was in prison for 3 years because of his trade union activity.

The situation is complex and uncertain. The severe poverty and high unemployment generate a lot of difficulties in the development of struggles.

But we have no alternative. It is our duty to unite all workers according to the social class they belong to and to organize our resistance, sometimes through the defense, sometimes through the attack; with a flexible and clever strategy so as to have concrete positive results for the benefit of workers.

Along with the struggle for our financial, social, democratic and trade union rights that we must carry-out, we must also strengthen our action against the strategies of imperialism, of multinationals and transnationals that cause bloodshed to many peoples and force millions of people to abandon their country, region and home.

As WFTU, within the international trade union movement, we have at the forefront of our struggles our solidarity and internationalism with the peoples and the countries that are suffering imperialists interventions.

– Venezuela is today the target of the policies of the US and their allies.

– Cuba continues to suffer from the criminal US blockade that lasts more than 55 years.

-The Palestinian people still live without having their own country, while thousands of Palestinian children are imprisoned in the jails of Israel.

– The Syrian people suffer from the attacks of thousands of mercenaries who have been recruited and supported by imperialists.

– The peoples of Iraq, of Mali, of Libya, of Afghanistan, are suffering from undemocratic policies.

-The Gulf region is on fire because of the economic rivalries and intra-imperialistic antagonisms.

-The people of Mexico experience racism and the threats of the US President, who threatens to build a wall and persecute all economic immigrants.

This is the outline of the dark reality of today’s capitalism.

Under these circumstances the world working class, all workers, we need a militant, efficient and active trade union movement. We need trade unions that will have courage, that will withstand, that will be democratic; that they will pay attention to the base of their members and that will unite all workers irrespective of religion, color, gender and language.

In today’s framework the theme of “Building a future with decent work” is more accurate than ever and can be achieved only through class oriented struggles having in their center the satisfaction of workers contemporary needs.

The trade union movement also needs a representative ILO, without exclusions and discriminations; with equal treatment of its members trade unions, with democracy and transparency.

In this direction the WFTU has composed and distributed a text of general principles. We will continue our fight until the current unilateral picture of the Governing Body comes to an end. Proportional representation, equality and transparency are the preconditions for decent work and decent relations.

Thank you.

The international Conference for solidarity with Socialist Cuba

12 Monday Jun 2017

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07 Jun 2017BELGIUM, BRUSSELS, EUROPE
The internationalist event of solidarity with the people of socialist Cuba started today with the participation of 30 trade unionists from 11 countries. The central slogan of the Conference is “Stop to the blockade against Cuba- Return of the territory of Guantanamo to the Cuban people.”

All speakers from the five continents were committed to strengthening their internationalism and solidarity with the Cuban Revolution.

The conference will continue tomorrow.

The presence of Carmen Rosa Lopez Rodriguez from CTC, Cuba and the presence of the Ambassador of Cuba in Belgium, Mrs. Norma Goicochea Estenoz, were of great importance for this Conference.

The Conference was hosted by the non-attached member of the European Parliament Sotirios Zarianopoulos, MP of the Communist Party of Greece, and the hospitality was excellent. (WFTU NEWS)

WFTU extends support to Palestine people.

28 Sunday May 2017

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The WFTU confirmed its Solidarity and Support to the Palestinian People25 May 2017MIDDLE EAST, PALESTINE

On 25th May, in WFTU headquarters in Athens, Greece, the WFTU confirmed its relentless support to the struggles of the Palestinian political prisoners and the Palestinian people.

The heroic people of Palestine can rely on the firm and non – negotiable solidarity of the WFTU until the definitive victory of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation and imperialist crimes.

WFTU solidarity statement with the farmers in India

27 Saturday May 2017

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24 May 2017ASIA, INDIA
Violent repression of the farmers demonstration was held on 22th May in Kolkata, eastern India. The result of the barbaric attack of the forces of repression is 900 injured protesters including 100 seriously injured who are in critical condition.

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 92 million workers in the 5 continents, expresses its firm solidarity with the protesters and strongly condemns the repression incidents, which frequently occur especially in the Kolkata area.

The WFTU supports the fair demands of the protesters for the improvement of their working and living conditions.