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2 November, 2009
The ICEM held a regional conference in São Paulo from 27-29 October to consolidate activities in the region. The conference was called “ICEM – A Modern, Dynamic and Efficient Organisation,” and was attended by 25 trade union leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic.
One of the aims of the conference was to integrate the unions of the former World Federation of Industrial Workers (WFIW), who had joined ICEM at the 2007 Congress. The other aim was to develop programmes for young workers and women.
Italo Rodomonti, centre
Italo Rodomonti, ICEM Vice-President, gave a presentation on trade union democracy and representation, which explained why strengthened trade union structures are a question of democracy. It cannot be that those who are dissatisfied with one union find another, he said. Democracy is not advanced by a proliferation of trade unions, but by the idea to have fewer and better and stronger trade unions. Trade union leaders must never forget those whom they represent, said Rodomonti.
Working groups met on the topic of trade union democracy and came up with the following conclusions:
• Women and young people must be incorporated in greater numbers in ICEM and its affiliated unions;
• Training and education continue to be important, and train the trainer programs must be given priority. Every union must have its own education programme;
• Neoliberalism and multinationals continue to dominate the agenda. Neoliberalism had nefarious effects on young people because they are more individualistic and have no relation to trade unions. Overcoming these trends is part of the challenge that has to be met in attracting young people to join unions;
• Trade unions continue to be weak. Emphasis still has to be put on recruitment. Trade unions still suffer from financial weaknesses and non-payment of dues. These challenges must be overcome;
• Migrant and workers employed in the informal sector are more and more present, and ICEM must develop policies to address issues faced by workers in these groups;
• Communication has to be improved; meetings and communication with the assistance of SKYPE are being investigated for the regional committee.
Sergio Novais
ICEM Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sergio Novais, made a presentation on ICEM programmes and structures. One of the main priorities in the region is on workers’ networks. The networks are one way of controlling multinationals which have become more powerful than some governments in the region.
ICEM must attempt to tackle the areas where it does hold power to change things, leaving the general work with governments up to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). As always, sub-contracting and outsourcing were major themes of discussion.
A new project is soon to be launched with the help of the Spanish ISCOD to train 60 women across the region in negotiating skills. The pulp and paper project sponsored by Finnish SASK for the Mercosur countries of Latin America also was discussed.
It is worth remembering that the process of trade union consolidation is ongoing – the process begun with the merger between the ICFTU and the WCL is continuing. The ICEM is leading the work to consolidate the international trade union federations with work on cooperation with the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) and the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF). The WFIW’s regional organisation, FLATIC, will be joining the ICEM regional committee with six additional members, two of whom will be women.
The meeting expressed its concern over the disregard on behalf of the provincial government in Chubut, Argentina, on the collective agreement with the utility union, Luz y Fuerza. The provincial government is defying all national and international standards and agreements governing freedom of association and the right to collective bargain.
The meeting also adopted the following resolution on Honduras. It reads, in part:
“ICEM regional committee, meeting in São Paulo, Brazil, aware of the political situation prevailing in the sister republic of Honduras in the wake of the reactionary military coup which overthrew the democratically elected government of Honduras, denounces the following:
“The majority will of the people has been attacked in the service of obscure economic interests that are hostile to the country. Workers and their trade unions and popular organizations have been repressed.
“Therefore the regional committee, representing delegates from eight countries, agrees the following:
“To call upon all democratic countries in the international community to not recognize the de facto government nor the elections called by it; to pass on our militant solidarity to the men and women workers and their trade unions; to promote a campaign of concrete solidarity with the people of Honduras and to denounce this situation at the ILO and before other workers’ organizations, ensuring that a copy of these declarations are sent to the trade unions in Honduras.”
Finally, on 29 October, a meeting was held to discuss the new energy project which will soon start with the support of the Spanish foundation Paz y Solidaridad. The meetings in São Paulo were held in a spirit of camaraderie and solidarity. Many thanks to the Dutch FNV, as well as to Belgian affiliate CSC Energie Chimie for their support of the meetings.