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/MAY DAY/IRAQ: ICFTU Ready to Assist Workers
By Stefania Bianchi
BRUSSELS, Apr 21 (IPS) - The creation of a free and democratic trade union
movement is essential for the future of democracy in Iraq, according to the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).
Speaking just days ahead of worldwide trade union activity planned for
May 1, Guy Ryder, the General Secretary of the ICFTU, expressed his concern
over workers in the war-torn country.
"We are extremely concerned about a number of elements. The humanitarian
aspects must be dealt with as soon as possible. Transition to democratic
control by the Iraqi people must take place as swiftly as possible," Ryder
told IPS.
He added: "The development of a free and democratic trade union movement
will be essential for the country's future and the ICFTU is prepared to
assist in this aim, alongside the United Nations' International Labour
Organisation."
This offer comes in the run-up to May 1 when unions from all five
continents will take action under a single worldwide theme of "respect". The
ICFTU hopes that the global theme would send out a strong message to
employers and employees throughout the world.
Activities varying from mass demonstrations to sports events to
conferences have been planned by unions who will be demanding "respect" on a
range of issues, including workers' rights, quality public services,
workers' health and safety, tackling poverty, and rights and opportunities
for young workers.
European events include a Trade Union Congress (TUC) march through
central London in Britain. Cross border activities are being organised in
the Balkan region where young workers will launch a "Respect for young
Workers" campaign.
Ryder stressed the importance of this year's demonstration in the light
of the events in Iraq.
"At a time of great uncertainty in the world, and against the background
of the war in Iraq, global unions are stressing the role of May 1 as an
opportunity for the world's trade unions to push for respect of workers and
their families," Ryder said.
The wide range of activities will also be organised by trade unions
across the Arab world, but Ryder indicated that definite plans had yet to be
made.
"We expect that unions in the region will be to some extent preoccupied
with the situation in Iraq," Ryder said, "but nevertheless we expect a
number of unions to link up to the global respect theme."
The events of May 1 are also aimed at drawing people's attention to
groups which are particularly at risk in the global economy, such as young
workers, whose jobs are the most precarious, and women, whose labour rights
are disproportionately undermined all over the world.
Ryder said: "A call for respect makes perfect sense at a time when
workers' rights and necessary public services such as health and education
risk being eroded by the globalisation process. We are using May 1 - our own
international workers' day - to launch a trade union call for employers and
governments to show respect for those in and out of work."
The ICFTU was set up in 1949 and currently has 231 affiliated
organisations in 150 countries and territories on all five continents and a
membership of 158 million. The organisation maintains close links with the
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which includes all ICFTU European
affiliates and Global Union Federations that link together national unions
from a particular trade or industry at an international level.
It is expected that the themes of the May 1 movement will also form the
basis of a movement-wide public information campaign ahead of the next World
Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in September this year.
Ryder said that the ICFTU is planning to use that occasion to highlight
its anxiety over the WTO's failure to address social concerns about
globalisation that undermine its ability to govern world trade in the
interests of ordinary people.
"We will be proposing a number of measures to incorporate sustainable
development in a range of WTO areas and we will be opposing the opening of
the so-called 'Singapore issues' of investment and competition policy on the
basis of the proposals currently tabled. Instead we will be calling for
protection and promotion of social policies through binding and enforceable
obligations on investors." (END/2003)
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