Tehran, Iran: The WFTU Presidential Council concluded its works for the 2nd and last day on February 27th

The WFTU Presidential Council Meeting concluded with great success on 27th February 2018 in Tehran, Iran. More than 45 international delegates from the 5 continents, attended the 2018 annual meeting of the WFTU Precedential Council, examining the rich action of the international class oriented trade union movement during 2017 and adopted the WFTU action plan for 2018.

During the works of the meeting tens of participants took the floor and analyzed the situation in every region and continent of the world, discussing on the role, the priorities and the goals of the WFTU.   The works of the Presidential Council Meeting strengthened even more the international class oriented trade union movement and the WFTU will continue in the some militant and class direction, struggling for the contemporary needs of the working class in every continent.

DECISION: ACTION PLAN – 2018

1. 27th and 28th of January: Youth Secretariat Meeting. Seminar for the Youth Committee on: social classes in the modern world. It has been successfully held.
2. 1 to 3 February: Annual Financial Control Committee Meeting for the Audits of 2017.
3. 26th and 27th of February: Presidential Council Meeting in Iran. Neighboring countries have been invited as well as some other cadres.
4. 4th and 5th of March: TUI FISE Congress in Mexico. Until today 70 unionists have been registered from 20 countries.
5. 5th and 6th of March, Harare Zimbabwe: WFTU Conference on Minerals, coorganized by NUM (South Africa), ZEWU (Zimbabwe), NESAWU (Zambia).
6. 8-9-10 March, Panama: World Working Women Congress under the auspices of CNTP. Until today, we have a very good participation. 46 countries across all continents have already been registered.
7. A mission of 14 Spanish speaking unionists to Beijing for a joint WFTU-ACFTU Seminar. Young trade unionists from the following countries are going to participate: Panama, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru.
8. 13 March, meeting in Costa Rica of all WFTU Presidential Council’s elected members in order to discuss matters of our action and positions in the region.
9. 15-24 March, New York, Women’s Meeting in the U.N. It is the annual Conference organized by the U.N., and the WFTU as a permanent representant there participates every year.
10. 16-18 March, Los Angeles, WFTU affiliates and friends trade union meeting from the U.S. region. U.S. State Department’s denial to grant a visa to the WFTU General Secretary, George Mavrikos is a new development.
11. 28-30 March, Angers, France: International Conference for rubber workers, jointly organized with FNIC-CGT.
12. April 28-29, Damascus, Trade Union Conference under the theme: Decent Work – The future of work for people with disabilities in areas of conflict.
13.  TUI Congresses in 2018:
    – Metal and Mining, 3-5 of May, Egypt
    – Textile, Garment, Leather, Bangladesh
    – Bank and Insurance, its mandate has expired, in Nigeria. If Nigeria has difficulties in organizing it, it could be organized in Athens.
    – Trade and Services, a foundation of a new TUI is suggested, in an important sector which is constantly expanded in all countries and continents. We suggest that its HQ should be in Lebanon and its Head an affiliate union from Lebanon.
14. TUI Energy Congress:It had been publicly announced the celebration of the Congress in Trinidad and Tobago. Invitations had been sent and there had also been a participants’ list. Some of them had also bought their tickets. Fifteen days before the Congress kick off, the host organization informed us that due to financial reasons and also because of the monsoon would not be able to organize the Congress. We were forced to accept this postponement. This has never happened again over the last 10 years. It has been negative for the WFTU. We now propose that the Congress take place in Trivandrum, India, on 11 and 12 of September 2018. The sector is of strategic importance and we have many forces in different countries. We suggest that the FNIC-CGT from France take over the TUI’s Leadership.
15. May 1st Celebrations.
16. 28 May – 8 June, Geneva, ILO: 107th International Labor Conference and Informal Presidential Council along with the WFTU friends.
    – WFTU affiliates and friends meeting.
    – Conference on: “The WFTU position on the Future of Work”.
    – An event to pay tribute to cde. Haidar Ibrahim, a fighter who dedicated his life to the Palestinian struggle and the WFTU.
    – An event to pay homage to comrade Ramon Cardona, a militant who dedicated his life to the struggle of the Cuban people and the WFTU.
17. France, Strasbourg: An event in the European Parliament on immigrants as well as a parallel event in memory of Luis Saillant and Pierre Gensous, two French ex-General Secretaries of the WFTU.
18. July, Seminar in Belgrade with the participation of unions and trade unionists from countries of the former Yugoslavia on: “Action in the Private Sector”.
19. August, Czech Republic: European Working Youth Congress. Regional Youth Congresses like this as well as Regional Women Congresses must be organized in every continent.
20. August, Nepal: Seminar on: “Collective Bargaining”.
21. Malaysia: Working Trade Union Meeting on the Operating Aid to the WFTU Subregional Office.
22. September, Ramallah: International Congress under the title: “Jerusalem, eternal capital of Palestine”.
23. 3rd of October: International Action Day under the common slogan: “Ensure social security and free healthcare for all”.
24. November, Djibouti: International Conference on Maritime workers and dockers
25. Bahrain: An event within 2018 on working women in the Arab world.
26. Senegal: a common initiative of UTS – FSM in the form of seminars
27. Generally For 2018:

• The International Open Essay Contest on the WFTU’s internationalism and Solidarity with every region, sector and country will be on-going. We should help so that books be written in every country and region.
• An annual meeting between the Secretariat and every Head of Regional and Subregional Offices must be organized. Perhaps it should be a common meeting of Regional – Sub-regional Offices along with the TUI leaders.
• An International Symposium on new technologies.
• A workshop on international relations and international organizations.
• Protection against earthquakes: Organization of a scientific symposium on the antiseismic protection of buildings where many people are concentrated (schools, plants,public services, hospitals, ministries, etc.)
• It is necessary to organize a Conference of the Arab affiliates and friends of the WFTU.
• The organization of a new campaign for Palestine’s children, for school bags, notebooks and pens.
• Union schools and courses should operate all year round in all countries, based on the themes we have already decided during a previous Secretariat meeting. Those who need teachers from the Central Offices, they have to ask it in writing.