As part of an effort to build support for and solidarity with the newly formed IFTU, Mr Hadi Ali the vice president and Abdullah Muhsin, its foreign representative visited Spain, Belgium and the UK.
Spain
Hadi Ali and Abdullah Muhsin participated in the 8th conference of the Confederacion Sindical Comisiones Obreas (CCOO) one of the two Main Spanish trade union confederations, from 20-25 April 2004 Madrid. The IFTU vice president addressed a meeting of 120 international trade union organizations from 60 countries.
The IFTU is very grateful to our Spanish colleagues for organizing a brief meeting with the second major Spanish confederacione, the Union Generale De Trabajadors (UGT). The IFTU delegation briefly met Mr. Manuel Bonmati , The International Secretary of the UGT.
The Spanish Labour Minister addressed the CCOO 8th conference and the Spanish Prime Minister phoned a message of support to the conference.
The IFTU delegation held a number of; meetings with various trade union organizations present at the 8th conference, including the Indian General Secretary of the Centre of Indian trade Unions Mr. P.R Krishnan and the International Secretary of the Federation of the Korean Trade Unions Mr Kang, Choong-Ho. Both trade union organizations invited the IFTU to visit their countries and meet with their trade union centres.
Italy
The IFTU delegation was invited to Italy from 26-29th April by the Confederacione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL) and the Federacione Impiegati Operais Metallugici Nationale (FIOM). The IFTU delegation held fruitful meetings with the International Secretary of the CGIL, Titti Di Salvo and the General Secretary of FIOM and its International Secretary Alesandra Mecozzi and the Diretor of CISL Lugi Cal the second major trade union confederation and Gabriele Stamegna from the international department of UIL, the third major trade union federation in Italy.
The IFTU also held talks with the Democrats of the Left (DS) International Secretary Marina Sereni MP who issued a supportive news release.
Belgium
The IFTU delegation then travelled to Brussels on the 30th of April and met Mr. Guy Ryder, the General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).
Mr Ryder pledged support and further co-operation.
Mr Ryder’s office has had arranged a meeting with Fred Higgs, the General Secretary of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Worker’s Unions (ICEM) and Jim Cafferson Director of the ICEM also in Brussels. Mr Higgs has invited four leaders of the Iraqi Oil and Gas Union to visit Brussels to examine further co-operation.
The IFTU delegates then met Jon Greenwald, the vice- president of the International Crisis Group.
Britain
The IFTU delegation visited Britain 13-18th May 2004 and held a meeting with the assistant General Secretary Kay Carberry of the TUC and several meetings with union leaders including Tony Donaghy, the President of the RMT, Paul Mackney and Paul Bennett of NATFHE.
Mr Hadi Ali the Vice President of the IFTU held a meeting with Harry Barnes Labour MP.
Mr Harry Barnes organized a highly successful meeting in the House of Commons for Mr Hadi Ali, the IFTU Vice-President. Mr Ali briefed cross party Parliamentarians and British journalists on the current political situation, the 30th June transfer of power to the Iraqis and the end of occupation and the progress of the IFTU. Representatives of the Foreign Office and the Labour attaché of the American Embassy were also present at the meeting.
Mr Ali and the IFTU delegation held a brief meeting with Mr Denis MacShane, Minister for Europe.