21 November, 2011
The ICEM’s Fifth and perhaps last ordinary Congress opens in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this week, with some 800 delegates and guests expected to attend. The quadrennial Congress runs from 24-26 November, with the ICEM Presidium to be held today, 21 November, and an Executive Committee meeting to be held on 22 November.
General Secretary Manfred Warda said Argentina was chosen as the venue for this Congress because of eight strong affiliates in the South American nation, including those affiliated to both national labour centres – the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and the Argentine Workers’ Central Union (CTA).
“With industrial trade union unity taking shape on the global level, we felt it appropriate that our union affiliates from both confederations connect and continue pushing forward on the positive social agenda that has taken root in Argentina,” said Warda.
The government of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has followed the social plan of her late husband Néstor Kirchner by building a “people first” agenda in which public spending and consumer power serve as the fuel for economic growth and prosperity for all. That is reflected in the government enacting a 25% increase in the country’s minimum wage this past summer, while at the same time expanding export markets by providing incentives to manufacturers.
Warda said this contrasts with governments in other developed nations which now resort to “anti-people, anti-social” austerity measures to counter sovereign debt crises.
The Congress quite likely will hear from President Fernández on the opening day, as well as from the Argentina Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Carlos Tomado.
The Congress will also consider a number of motions, including a forward-looking Action Plan that aims to continue the activist culture of the ICEM in future work and several specific motions on current and relevant world topics. Day two of the Congress will feature a panel discussion on Social Dialogue initiatives in Latin America, moderated by ICEM Latin American/Caribbean Regional Vice President Sergio Novais.
On the final day of the Congress, 26 November, discussion will take place over the final integration steps in creating a new Global Union Federation (GUF) together with the International Textile, Garment, Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) and the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF). That is scheduled to happen in June 2012 in Copenhagen, making the next ICEM Congress a dissolution congress to occur at the same time.
The ICEM union affiliates in Argentina cover nearly all the GUF’s industrial sectors, including petroleum (FASPyGP), rubber (SUTNA), pulp and paper (FOEIPCyQ and SOEP), natural gas (STIGAN), nuclear (UOM), electricity (LYF-PAT) and mining (OSMA). The ICEM is grateful for their assistance in arrangements what will prove a memorable and successful Congress.