Asia-Pacific Regional Council, held on 28th and 29th November, 2007 in New Delhi.
10 December 2007
RESOLUTION ON ILO
The meeting noted with grave concern the discriminatory attitude of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) allowing the hegemony of one International trade Union in its Governing Body and the partisan attitude of the ILO in the Standards Committee etc. and unanimously adopted the following Resolution, to be sent to all concerned including DG of ILO, and - UN/UNESCO/International Organisations ; Trade Union Organisations; International Mass Media; Regional offices; TUIs.
This Conference of W.F.T.U. affiliates and friendly organisations in the region of Asia-Pacific held in New Delhi on November 28-29, 2007, discussed the situation prevalent in the I.L.O. In pursuance of these discussions, the following Resolution is adopted.
The I.L.O., on the basis of its foundation and operation is obliged to face equally and in a democratic way all the trade unions, independent of their political, ideological, religious and racial differences. The discriminations for and against people are prohibited in the framework of the moral values and the objectives of the I.L.O.
Unfortunately, this meeting notes, that for the last 15 years, the values of equality are being violated in an unimaginable way. These violations not only take place in the Geneva office, but they are also spread in the countries and regions where the I.L.O. has its services. In the Asia – Pacific region also this kind of evaluation is justified by many cases.
Several discriminations are made against the W.F.T.U. and against its affiliates and friendly organizations, though W.F.T.U. was the first trade union organization to become member of the I.L.O. The violations and indifference are against the W.F.T.U. at all levels and in all sectors. This is also evident from the very composition of the Governing Body, to draw conclusions. The stock answer of the Director General is that “elections take place..”, is totally unsatisfactory as we are all aware as to how these elections are conducted. There is also involvement of money and corruption. The results are well known in advance. The way these “elections” are made, exposes the I.L.O. and those who organize them.
The character and the orientation of the I.L.O. are also slowly alienated. In place of promoting and defending the rights of workers and poor people, during the last decade, past achievements accomplished through struggles are already withdrawn or sought to be withdrawn.
Ironically, even decisions adopted by the I.L.O. are not equally applied. While the decisions concerning the dictatorship of Colombia are not implemented, almost every year we see how Cuba, Venezuela and certain other countries resisting the imperialist plans of USA and NATO are slandered.
On the basis of all these facts, the meeting demand that this situation has to be altered positively. We demand that the I.L.O., has to treat again with objectivity and equality both the international trade union organizations.
We demand change in the way that the Governing Body is elected. We demand transparency in the forthcoming elections of 2008. The two International Trade Union Organizations must be proportionally represented on the basis of their forces and support enjoyed by them. This is what is democracy based on the foundational principles of I.L.O. and the United Nations. We demand objectiveness and justice at all levels in all sectors in I.L.O.