A WFTU delegation headed by the General Secretary participated at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference of the Arab Labour Organization (ALO) in Cairo, Egypt on Sunday, September 14th 2014.
George Mavrikos, addressed the Conference attended by representatives of the employers, government representatives, ministers of labour and trade union representatives and raised the three crucial topics of the working class in the Arab world today: the imperialist aggressiveness, the solidarity to the Palestinian people and the struggle for dignified work against unemployment.
In the sidelines of the Arab Labour Conference, the WFTU affiliates held a meeting to evaluate the course of implementation of the WFTU action plan for the year 2014.
Read below his speech:
“This Conference of the Arab Labour Organization takes place after the latest crime of the Zionist Israel against the Palestinian People to expand their occupation.
This Conference takes place in a period when the United States of America and the European Union become more and more aggressive to implement their plans for the “New Middle East”.
This Conference takes place while the people of the Arab world face the result of this aggressiveness. At the same time, they face many difficult everyday problems: High Unemployment, Low salaries, No social security, problems with housing and medical care.
We believe that these crucial topics must be in the center of the discussion of the Conference of the Arab Labour Organization.
For these issues we want to say the following:
The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing today 90 million workers in 126 countries, with its positions and action has always been on the side of the Arab people.
With our position and action we are against the imperialist attacks and the intervention of the foreign interests in the internal affairs of the countries in the Arab world. We were always and we will continue to be against the wars in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Lybia. We are against the foreign interventions in Syria.
The results of these policies is the rise of unemployment, the increase of the economic migration, the increase of poverty.
The situation today is much worse! No “democracy” has come by these wars! No “peace” and no “stability”! Only blood, unemployment and migration for the people and profit for the multinationals.
The World Federation of Trade Unions has openly denounced the role of the different imperialist centers that function with political, military or other means in order to control the countries, to steal their wealth, to establish their short-term and long-term interests in the region.
The WFTU is clear!
We believe that the people and only the people have the right to decide for their present and future. That the wealth of each country must be used for the benefit and the prosperity of its people.
Secondly, the World Federation of Trade Unions has been always on the side of the Palestinian people against the occupation of Israel. We recognize the criminal and the victim. The intruders against those who are defending their home.
We call the International Organizations, the United Nations, to implement one of the dozens resolutions they have taken since 1948 for the creation of an independent Palestinian State and for the end of the Israeli occupation in Palestine and territories of Syria and Lebanon. These resolutions cannot remain only in papers. This crime must end.
Also this period, the WFTU continues its International Solidarity Campaign for the Palestinian People. We called all the trade union Organizations to organize rallies and protests and also to collect money and medical supplies for the Palestinian people. Soon these will be delivered to Palestine.
We are stable on the side of the Syrian People, the people of Lebanon, of Iraq against the foreign interventions, against the imperialists.
Finally, on the 3rd of October 2014 the World Federation of Trade Unions calls all the Trade Union Organizations in the world to unite in action. To fight against Unemployment for dignified work for all and immediate protective measures for the unemployed.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express one more time the support of the WFTU to the people of the Arab world.
The WFTU respects the contribution of the Arab people, your civilizations, your cultural legacy, your history, your struggles.
Together with the members of the WFTU which are the biggest Trade Union Organizations in the Arab world we will continue to work with all our powers for the unity of the Arab people against imperialism for the improvement of the lives of the Arab workers.
I wish to the Conference of the Arab Labour Organization every success.
Thank you,”
