PARTICIPANTS OF THE 2ND WORLD CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS, Vancouver, Canada, 21-25 June 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The General Confederation of Trade Unions affiliating national trade union centres from countries of the Commonwealth of Independents States (CIS) and industry-based Trade Union Internationals of the region sends its warm greetings to the delegates of the 2nd World Congress of the International Trade Union Confederation.
Less than four years have passed since the ITUC was founded, but even in this short period it has been universally recognized as the representative of workers’ interests on this planet, the heart of the global union family playing a crucial role in the endeavour to add a fair social dimension to the process of world development in an era of globalisation. On the eve of the G-8 and G-20 summits, trade union leaders from the same countries traditionally meet under the ITUC umbrella, and the documents they adopt are given consideration and taken into account by the leaders of these most influential world powers. The General Confederation of Trade Unions welcomes these efforts, and reiterates its full support for the positions stated in those documents, first of all, in the Global Unions Washington, London and Pittsburgh Declarations.
Equally significant is the fact that the international financial and trade institutions, such as the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation, pay increasingly closer heed to the voice of the International Trade Union Confederation. We express our solidarity with the ITUC line of enhancing the global role of the United Nations, strengthening the International Labour Organisation, promoting decent work all over the world, and implementing the Global Jobs Pact.
Workers and trade unions in our region deeply appreciate the struggles waged by the ITUC to defend the interests of all categories of workers, first of all women, youth and migrants, protect human rights, the rights of employees and trade union freedoms, safeguard international peace and security, preserve the environment, and ensure sustainable development.
Amidst the world financial and economic crisis, we express our solidarity with the ITUC in its efforts to bring about a radical change in the nature of globalisation, and establish international control over the activities of world financial institutions. Together with you, we reject the attempts to place the burden of economic recovery on workers who bear no responsibility either for the outbreak of the crisis or for its scope.
Within the bounds of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the GCTU pursues similar aims striving to strengthen the social component of national anti-crisis programmes being adopted in CIS countries. Through its involvement in the work of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and other Commonwealth authorities, where it enjoys permanent consultative status, our Confederation seeks to help create the necessary conditions for the realisation of decent work in the region, elimination of poverty, protection of labour and trade union rights, and maximum satisfaction of workers’ claims. We believe this to be a reliable foundation for our successful cooperation with the ITUC and its organisation in Europe, the Pan-European Regional Council.
We are positive this ITUC Congress will make a major contribution to the further development and consolidation of the world trade union movement. Guided by its decisions and the principles of workers’ international solidarity, your Confederation will effectively continue its struggle to stop the offensive of global capital, establish social justice all over the world, and strengthen the rights of workers and trade unions.
We wish you a successful Congress!
General Confederation Of Trade Unions
Moscow, June 2010