19 June, 2012800 delegates gathered at the IMF Congress in Copenhagen voted to join forces with mining and energy worker and create the new 50 million strong IndustriALL Global Union.
Delegates of the metalworking unions across the world gathered this morning, 18 June 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark to make the final steps towards founding new IndustriALL Global Union, which will represent collective interests of 50 million workers in mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.
Opening the meeting IMF and IG Metall President Berthold Huber spoke of the global challenges the trade union movement needs to meet today. He also underlined that the new organization should be stronger than any of the three founding union federations IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF.
Addressing the delegates, IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina welcomed delegates reminding them of the proud history of the IMF, first established in 1893 by thirty members from metalworkers’ unions in eight countries. Meeting in a small hotel in Zurich, they created an International Bureau later transformed into the International Metalworkers’ Federation.
“Time has come to make a new important step and form IndustriALL Global Union,” said Raina.
Delegates approved by the majority of votes the candidates to the positions of Directors of Industrial Departments, stating however the new set of Directors will have to be revised in future and the new organization will have to ensure a higher representation of women in leadership positions.
Delegates approved the set of merger documents as well as the Statutes of IndustriALL Global Union, which will hold its first Congress tomorrow at 14:00.