Read this article in:
16 June, 2008
The European Mine, Chemical, Energy Federation (EMCEF) conducted its Fourth Congress 11-13 June in Prague, Czech Republic. The Congress was attended by over 300 delegates from 29 countries, with participants re-electing President Hubertus Schmoldt and Reinhard Reibsch as General Secretary.
Schmoldt is the President of ICEM and EMCEF affiliate IGBCE of Germany. Reibsch has served as head of the European federation since the year 2000.
In his keynote speech, Schmoldt stressed that the interests of European workers cannot fall victim to unbridled market forces. “We must ensure that European trade unions move a social dimension to the center of all European policy,” he said.
Schmoldt also emphasized the need for close cooperation and collaboration between European trade union federations in the chemicals, energy, mining, metals, leathers, and textile sectors. EMCEF’s General Assembly adopted such a resolution in 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Congress heard thorough reports on the Secretariat, as well from EMCEF’s four standing committees – Collective Bargaining, Works Councils, Industrial Relations (including environment, health and safety), and Social Dialogue.
Main speakers included John Monks, Secretary General for the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), and Manfred Warda, General Secretary of ICEM, who attended the EMCEF Congress with ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana.
Warda credited the many European trade unions, which play such vital roles in creating global solidarity with ICEM affiliates worldwide. “For us in ICEM, the link with EMCEF is of the highest value and of top priority,” said Warda. “A united, strong and successful EMCEF is an essential base for all that ICEM does.”
The 2.5-million-member EMCEF was created in 1996 with the merger of separate chemicals and mining federations. The federation now has 128 affiliated unions in 35 countries.