The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions - ICEM recently held a very successful Conference and series of workshops for trade unions from Arabic-speaking countries in Amman, Jordan.
Two Iraqi unions affiliated to the IFTU, from the all-important energy sector participated in the ICEM conference from 16-20 April 2005.
Jim Catterson from ICEM and general secretary, Fred Higgs welcomed the IFTU delegation to the Amman Conference
ICEM in coordination with the German Social Democrat Foundation, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Amman and the Jordanian General Trade Union for workers in the Mining and Metal Industries organised workshops for oil, energy and mining unions across the middle east.
The two IFTU-affiliated unions (the Oil and Gas Workers’ Union & the Electricity Workers’ Union) took part alongside 40 participants representing Oil, Mine and Energy unions from countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya to debate the impact of globalisation on workers and how best to face its challenges.
Conference was opened by speeches from the Jordanian Deputy Minister of Labour, the Chairman of the Arab Mining Workers Federation, Mr Fuzi Abd Bary, the President of the Jordanian General Trade Union for Workers in the Mining and Metal Industries and Hanz Remer the FES representative in Jordan. ICEM General Secretary, brother Fred Higgs concluded the morning session.
In his address to the workshop Fred Higgs said: "ICEM opposed the US and UK unilateral military intervention in Iraq in 2003. ICEM fought for a greater role for the UN in dealing with Iraq’s issue."
Mr Higgs also supported the Palestinian struggle for the creation of a two-state solution and said his global federation will continue to support the Palestine for just demand for sovereign state alongside the Israeli state.
During the second morning session various trade unions presented reports from their countries. Mr Abdel-Latef Jamal of the Iraqi Oil and Gas Workers’ Union gave a report of the developments and activities of his union. He said that his union now has 16 Branches in Baghdad alone and has set up more than 120 workplace committees with each committee consisting of 5 to 7 elected worker representatives.
Jalal Ali Zubown of the Electricity Workers Union also gave a report on behalf of his union.
During the afternoon session Jim Catterson, head of ICEM’s International Department presented a paper on the impact of globalisation on the Chemical, Energy and Mining Sector.
Conference then divided into groups during which the IFTU was elected to chair the meeting and the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions to present the findings.
Solidarity Works: participants split up into working groups at the ICEM Conference
Jim Catterson also gave a paper on ICEM’s international solidarity work, which received great appreciation from participants and was used as a clear basis for discussion, analysis and developing suggestions on how best to tackle the challenges of privatisation and globalisation in the region.
The ICEM Workshop concluded on 19 April 2005 by agreeing a number of priorities, including:
1. support of Iraqi and Palestinian trade unionists as they strive to build genuine unions in the most difficult circumstances typified by aggression, occupation and threats of extremism.
2. To organise workshops on privatisation for trade unions in the region, including the subject of social dialogue, the exploitation of sub-contracted agency workers and on international labour legal standards.
3. to hold another regional meeting in 2006 for the Arabic speaking countries before the next ICEM congress in 2007.
4. to build the ICEM in the region.
On the fringe of the Conference the IFTU delegation (Oil and Gas Workers Union, The Electricity Workers Union and the IFTU International Representative) held a number of highly informative and positive solidarity meetings with various union representatives, including: Mr Mohammed Mussa, President of the Petrochemical Workers Union (affiliated to the Palestine General Federation of Trade Union - PGFTU); Mr Hussain Al-Foqahaa, a member of the National Secretariat of the PGFTU and the General Secretary of Public Service Union.
The IFTU delegation also met with representatives of three Turkish trade unions: Mr Nihat Yurdakul, President of the Municipal and General Workers Union as well as the General Secretary of Petroleum, Chemical & Rubber Workers’ Trade Union and International officer of the Turkis Trade Union Federation and Mr Kemal Ozkan of the DISK federation.
At all its meetings the IFTU explained its position on the US/UK-led war in Iraq, the occupation and the current political process. The IFTU sought international solidarity and greater unity between workers of the region as they face the onslaught of neo-liberal policies of privatisation and the economic occupation of their countries.
Posted at May 4, 2005 02:58 PM