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5 November, 2007
Some 84 representatives from 15 rubber unions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and the US were together 26-28 October at the holiday facility near São Paulo of the Rubber, Tyre and Related Industries Workers` Union (FUB). They were there to attend the Congress of the Latin American Rubber Workers’ Unions Front (FUTINAL).
The Congress was opened by FUB President Terezinho Martins da Rocha, and delegates also listened to Paulo Pereira da Silva (Paulinho), President of Força Sindical and member of Brazil’s Federal Parliament.
Another speaker was Sergio Novais, ICEM`s Vice-President for the Latin American/Caribbean Region. ICEM Rubber Industries Officer Kemal Özkan made a thorough representation on the global rubber industry, covering tyre, non-tyre, and natural-synthetique rubber businesses, together with current networking efforts and the labour disputes now occurring in different countries.
After country reports, the Congress heard the activities of the Global Union Networks of Goodyear and Bridgestone from Carlos Antonio da Silva, Latin American representative to the ICEM’s GoodyearWorkers’ Network steering committee, and Daniel Demetrio, Latin American representative on the Bridgestone Network. Delegates also applauded the creation of the recently inaugurated Pirelli Latin American Regional Network.
The Congress conducted discussions on the new status of FUTINAL, to which the regional rubber workers’ network now becomes a Brazil-based association open to all democratic labour organisations in Latin America and the Caribbean organising in the rubber sector. The structures of FUTINAL were defined at this Congress, and they include Plenary, Executive, and Auditing Committees.
On the final day, 28 October, elections were held for the Executive Committee, composed of ten secretaries to head Administration, Finance, Organisation, International Relations, Training and Culture, Communication, Tyre Industry Networks, Rubber Industry Networks, Health, Safety and Environment, and Contract and Agency Labour. Marcos Antonio da Silva Bernucio from FUB was elected Secretary of Administration and Political Coordinator, a position charged with heading the activities of the Executive Committee of FUTINAL.