The 16th World Trade Union Congress was completed with success on 6-10 April 2011 in Athens.
On behalf of all the participants in the 16th World Trade Union Congress we are addressing a warm militant greeting to the international working class. The great success of the 16th World Trade Union Congress puts us all in front of new, great and heavy duties.
The Congress began in a enthusiastic and militant atmosphere with the official Opening Ceremony and the participation of 828 representatives from 101 countries of the world in front of 4.000 Greek working people.
During the four days of the congress works that followed, 115 speakers from the five continents and the basic sectors took the floor.
All the acute, contemporary problems of the working people, the poor farmers, the self-employed, the youth, the women, the pensioners and the landless were discussed. Resolutions that strengthen the class-oriented character of the WFTU and aim for the strengthening of the international trade union movement have been voted.
Greeting messages from the General Secretary of UN, Ban Ki-Moon and many country leaders have been received.
During the days of the Congress were held Meetings by Region, as well as Youth and Working Women Meetings with very large attendance.
The Congress voted for significant improvements to the Constitution of WFTU and also elected new leadership with secret ballot.
598 representatives and 213 observers (811 in total) voted for the election of the new Presidential Council. The Presidential Council has now 40 members, 24 of whom are new members.
All of us who participated in the 16th World Trade Union Congress have evaluated that this was a historic and class-oriented Congress for its record of participations as well as for its adopted Resolutions and its democratic – open proceedings. On the same time, there was a unanimous optimism that the working class and its allies are the future of the world.
All the materials of the Congress will soon be published and distributed to the members and friends of WFTU.
Finally, on behalf of all the participants, we want to thank PAME Greece for organizing this unique international trade union event with great success.
All of us who constitute the new leadership of WFTU are aware of the heavy duty, the responsibility we have undertaken, and we will do our best to correspond to the new elevated duties.
