WFTU–TUIs Meeting in Kolkata
The annual consultative meeting of the TUIs (Trade Union
Internationals) of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was held in
Kolkata on 9-10 October 2017. This annual meetings, which are being held in
WFTU headquarters in Athens, was held outside for the first time. George
Mavrikos, general secretary of WFTU, Swadesh Dev Roye, deputy general secretary
of WFTU and international general coordinator of TUIs, and also national
secretary of CITU, H Mahadevan, deputy general secretary of WFTU and its
in-charge of Asia Pacific region attended this meeting. Leaders of 9 out of the
total 10 TUIs from all over the world participated. The leadership of the
central trade unions of India affiliated to WFTU also participated in the meeting
and greeted the delegates.
Hemalata, president of CITU welcomed the gathering. The key note
address was delivered by George Mavrikos. Swadesh Dev Roye presented the
background paper explaining the role of the TUIs in strengthening class
oriented trade union movement at the global level and the need to develop
effective functioning and better coordination among the different national
unions affiliated to the various TUIs. Mahadevan made an intervention
explaining the status and functioning of the TUIs as per the WFTU constitution.
48 delegates participated in the discussion that followed. While
supporting the formulations made in the speeches by the WFTU general secretary
and the TUI in charge, they spoke on the conditions of workers in their
sectors. They welcomed the CITU’s initiative to organise the two day meeting
which enabled detailed discussions on the issues.
Mavrikos concluded the discussion and emphasised the need for
ideological development of the workers exposing the barbaric nature of
imperialism and capitalism. He reiterated the need to pay attention to organise
the migrants and address the issues of the refugees.
The meeting unanimously adopted the ‘KOLKATA (INDIA) CONCLUSIONS’,
introduced by Dev Roye, which outlined the tasks to be undertaken in the next
year.
The meeting was jointly hosted by different federations in India
which constitute part of the TUIs – All India Coal Workers’ Federation, All
India Road Transport Workers’ Federation, Water Transport Workers’ Federation
of India, Steel Workers’ Federation of India, Construction Workers’ Federation
of India, Electricity Employees’ Federation of India, Petroleum and Gas Workers’
Federation of India, All India Insurance Employees’ Association, Bank Employees’
Federation of India, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers,
All India State Government Employees’ Federation and BSNL Employees’ Union.
A well attended trade union activists meeting was held in the
University Institute Hall in the evening of 10 October which was addressed by
George Mavrikos and Tapan Sen, general secretary of CITU. Swadesh Dev Roye
presided over the meeting and Pradip Biswas, general secretary of BEFI
presented the vote of thanks.
KOLKATA (INDIA) CONCLUSION
This WFTU – TUI annual consultation meeting is being held around
one year after the 17th World Trade Union Congress in Durban, South Africa and around
five months after the meeting of the Presidential Council of WFTU in Havana,
Cuba. It is being held in a situation when the systemic capitalist crisis is
deepening and the capitalist class continues its attempt to protect and increase
their profits by shifting the burdens of the crisis on to the working class and
other sections of the toiling people. All the hard won rights and benefits of
the working class are under attack.
This onslaught has to be fought nationally and internationally.
TUIs have a big responsibility in leading this fight. They have to develop and
strengthen sectoral and coordinated movements in their respective sectors throughout
the world under the guidance and with the support of the WFTU.
The ideology of the WFTU, the understanding of the 17th Congress
of the WFTU about the world situation and the role of the class oriented trade
unions have to be taken to the grass root level workers in our respective
sectors.
TUIs are major bodies of class oriented trade union movement.
They have the fundamental responsibility of defending the rights of the workers
in their respective sectors including the trade union rights, of linking the workplace
with the WFTU.
The basic principle of functioning enunciated by WFTU, of ‘open
and democratic functioning’ should be duly reflected in the functioning of all
our TUIs. Hence, whatever shortcomings in the functioning of the TUIs exist
today have to be overcome with a sense of urgency.
To ensure this, we have to take up the following tasks:
·
All TUIs to meet regularly, discuss the
developments in their industries, the conditions of the workers in their
industries and their struggles in various countries at the global level.
Mechanism for regular sharing of information among all affiliated unions across
the globe to be evolved and effectively implemented.
·
Support the struggles of workers in their
industries across the world, plan solidarity actions and implement them; inform
WFTU Secretariat about these struggles for broader support and solidarity
·
Plan activities that would help ideological
development of the working class in their respective sectors
·
Review implementation of decisions and
progress in all meetings and formulate activities accordingly
·
Strengthen coordination among the various
affiliated unions of the TUIs and between the TUIs and the WFTU to develop
effective global resistance to the global onslaught of the capitalists
·
The 150th year of
publication of ‘Das Capital’ to be observed to spread awareness about the inherent
exploitative nature of the capitalist system and raise the consciousness of the
workers on the need to change the system and the role of the working class in
ending exploitation.
·
TUI affiliates are to take up the day to
day problems of workers, analyse objectively from working class angle the cause
of problems and organise struggle to fulfil the demands of the workers.
·
TUIs to work for developing unity with the
farmers, students and self employed people.
·
TUIs have the task of promoting
international solidarity with workers from other sectors and countries.
·
TUIs must pay attention to the diabolical
developments of political refugees and economic migrants facing inhuman
atrocities internationally which is directly linked to barbarity of imperialism
and capitalist crisis.
·
TUIs must act as powerful lever of struggle
against capitalist barbarism pursued by monstrous multi-national corporations
(MNCs).
·
To take precise efforts to improve the
functional position of the TUIs, with specific attention to strengthen the fund
position of the TUIs in order to expand their function and activities.
·
To undertake study at regular intervals to
trace down the development in industries with facts and figures with a view to
educate the cadres and masses internationally and send the reports to WFTU Secretariat.
·
To establish co-ordination between the
Regional Offices and TUIs in each Regions, so as to help each other and the
implementation of collective programmes.
·
TUIs must continuously promote the WFTU
amongst the grass root level workers and unions and bring them into the WFTU
family. This should be an important parameter to judge the organizational success
of all the TUIs.
·
TUIs must participate in the activities of
the different forums of WFTU and implement the campaign and action programmes
time to time decided by the WFTU including observation of the Action Day on 3rd October
every year
·
TUIs must democratically elect leaders in
their Congress ensuring that the new cadres and leaders are active and
effective in discharging the responsibility of the office they hold in the
respective TUI.
This meeting held at Kolkata, India on 9-10 October 2017 with
representatives from the Nine TUIs requests the WFTU Secretariat to concretise
the various proposals and action programmes planned by the TUIs. The Secretariat
of WFTU may ensure communication to the TUIs regularly and extend class
oriented ideological and organisational support to all the TUIs.
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Com. K.
K. N. Kutty, President, Confederation & Secretary General NCCPA (On behalf
of Pensioner’s Federations) and Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General,
Confederation attended and addressed the delegates of WFTU – TUI meet held at
Kolkata on 9th & 10th October 2017.
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