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22 January, 2001An alternative to the World Economic Forum is the World Social Forum.
Every year trade union leaders discuss the question of whether or not we should go to Davos. It is always exciting to have access to the "crème de la crème" of the capitalist system which rules the entire world.
In the past, some trade union leaders have decided to participate in the World Economic Forum, while others found it more interesting and useful to give priority to other activities. This, I should point out, has nothing to do with ideology. It is simply a question of how we allocate our resources.
The IMF has never participated in Davos. Nevertheless, many presidents and general secretaries of IMF-affiliated unions have done so and have provided some positive contributions to the debates which have taken place. So, also, have leaders of other international trade secretariats (ITSs) and the ICFTU.
I am afraid, however, that the results are not as good as we would have hoped. For some time, I have proposed establishing an alternative to Davos -- not just an alternative, but a labour movement alternative to Davos.
It is somewhat disappointing that we, in the trade union and wider labour movement, have been unable to agree to take such an initiative. Global unions -- that is the ICFTU, the ITSs and TUAC -- attempted to raise this issue at the Socialist International, to initiate a dialogue that could have resulted in such a gathering, but sadly, the Socialist International has not awakened to our call and not even had the courtesy to reply to our letters.
Trade unions, with all their experience and pragmatism, provide the only realistic counterweight to unfettered capitalism. Consequently, I welcome the Porto Alegre initiative -- the alternative to the Davos World Economic Forum which is called the World Social Forum -- to open up a debate about globalisation from a social perspective, but this cannot and must not be restricted to just the Third World. Trade unions from every continent must participate and contribute to the conference in Brazil.
The major force behind this initiative is the local government of the Rio Grande do Sul. But local government cannot by itself successfully carry on the struggle against the enormous power that the decision-makers in the capitalist system can bring to bear, who will do whatever is necessary to destroy this attempt to coordinate opposition to their freedom to exploit the world's natural and human resources. We, in the trade union movement, must lend our support.
Trade unions have much more in common with the organisers of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre than those who organise the World Economic Forum, or even those who coordinate the demonstrations outside the congress hall in Davos.
And while the ticket to travel to Brazil might be more expensive than the one to Switzerland, you will not have to pay an exorbitant fee just to listen to all the nonsense and economic dogma that will be produced in Davos.
There can only be one sensible conclusion: go to Porto Alegre.
In the past, some trade union leaders have decided to participate in the World Economic Forum, while others found it more interesting and useful to give priority to other activities. This, I should point out, has nothing to do with ideology. It is simply a question of how we allocate our resources.
The IMF has never participated in Davos. Nevertheless, many presidents and general secretaries of IMF-affiliated unions have done so and have provided some positive contributions to the debates which have taken place. So, also, have leaders of other international trade secretariats (ITSs) and the ICFTU.
I am afraid, however, that the results are not as good as we would have hoped. For some time, I have proposed establishing an alternative to Davos -- not just an alternative, but a labour movement alternative to Davos.
It is somewhat disappointing that we, in the trade union and wider labour movement, have been unable to agree to take such an initiative. Global unions -- that is the ICFTU, the ITSs and TUAC -- attempted to raise this issue at the Socialist International, to initiate a dialogue that could have resulted in such a gathering, but sadly, the Socialist International has not awakened to our call and not even had the courtesy to reply to our letters.
Trade unions, with all their experience and pragmatism, provide the only realistic counterweight to unfettered capitalism. Consequently, I welcome the Porto Alegre initiative -- the alternative to the Davos World Economic Forum which is called the World Social Forum -- to open up a debate about globalisation from a social perspective, but this cannot and must not be restricted to just the Third World. Trade unions from every continent must participate and contribute to the conference in Brazil.
The major force behind this initiative is the local government of the Rio Grande do Sul. But local government cannot by itself successfully carry on the struggle against the enormous power that the decision-makers in the capitalist system can bring to bear, who will do whatever is necessary to destroy this attempt to coordinate opposition to their freedom to exploit the world's natural and human resources. We, in the trade union movement, must lend our support.
Trade unions have much more in common with the organisers of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre than those who organise the World Economic Forum, or even those who coordinate the demonstrations outside the congress hall in Davos.
And while the ticket to travel to Brazil might be more expensive than the one to Switzerland, you will not have to pay an exorbitant fee just to listen to all the nonsense and economic dogma that will be produced in Davos.
There can only be one sensible conclusion: go to Porto Alegre.