World Congress of TUI :

X World Congress of TUI of Public & Allied Employees
20-22 March 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The X Congress of Trade Union International of Public & Allied Employees was successfully held at Johannesburg, South Africa from 20-21 March 2006. About 60 delegates and observers from 12 countries – Cyprus, Ghana, India, Japan, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe representing 20 organisations participated in the Congress. Several other delegates from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka Cuba and Nigeria could not attend the Congress due to non-receipt of Visa in time. Deputy General Secretary of WFTU was to attend the Congress, but has held up due to non-receipt of VISA. 

In his opening address, Lulamile Sotaka President TUI from South Africa remarked that the present system of imperialism is the source of the miseries of the working people around the world. He called for fighting a renewed offensive against workers by imperialism and neo-colonialism. Educating the working people as to against whom is this fight directed and why, should form the basis of this struggle. He also urged for greater international solidarity in this regard.

Noluthando Mayende Sibiya, President of National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU), the host organization, delivered the welcome address. In her address she spoke about the major challenges the working class and poor across the globe are facing with increasing number of armed conflicts. In her address she spoke of the alarming threat of HIV/AIDS in Africa as drugs, manufactured by multi-national companies, continue to be beyond the reach of ordinary workers. Kuagulu Ramodise, Deputy General Secretary NEHAWU also addressed the Congress.

The Congress, which met under the theme; ‘FACING THE CHALLENGES’, took stock of the international social, economic and political situation that the working class is faced with, since the IXth Congress held in Calcutta, India on the 4-6 November 1998. . Sukomal Sen, General Secretary, TUI, placed the main Documents – Policy Document and Social Charter.

The Document also noted among others, that the world is gripped with unprecedented economic crisis marked by the pursuit of a neo-liberal economic policy supported by the IMF-World Bank and the WTO, which has resulted in the dismantling of the Public Sector, privatization, downsizing, reduction of staff, part-time employment, casualization, contract service along with wage-freeze and drastic cut in social security measures and privatization of pension and the denial of trade union rights have become the order of the day.

The most fascinating and impressive world events were witnessed in the unprecedented massive anti-imperialist struggles following the US imperialism’s dastardly military invasion in Iraq and the massive and militant struggles against capitalist globalization in various parts of the world with the ushering of the new millennium. These struggles unmistakably point to the fact that while on the one side imperialism has become more inhuman and barbaric and global capitalist exploitation has become more and more reckless and on the other toiling people are also more and more numerously rising up in resistance both against imperialist and military attacks and Capitalist Globalization.

With due regard to all these developments and factors, the response by the international trade union movement should be in formed by the ever increasing contradiction between capital and labour, which is getting more acute by the day, by imposing heavier burdens on the employees with sharpened exploitation, endemic and permanent unemployment.

As the capitalist forces are trying to enforce an alarming deterioration of employment conditions and of guarantees and rights won in decades of struggles, the trade union movement as part of their response to these challenges must amongst others:

	Accentuate the struggle against imperialist or neo-colonial oppression, against capitalist globalization, against neo-fascist and racist terror, the rise of religious fundamentalism and terrorism in all its manifestations;
	Establish a New International Economic Order with equality between nation and nation and people and people;
	Fight against all exploitative methods of the capitalist society and for social progress;
	Fight for an advanced social system where democracy, employment, food, medicare, educare, education, housing, social security measure, cultural facilities and social justice are guaranteed and exploitation o9f man by man will be ended;

Congress also adopted a Social Charter , which deals with a wide range of issues such as working and unemployment conditions, unemployment, access to public services, remuneration, working hours, promotion of the rights of women and the youth, social security and pension benefits and trade union rights. The charter will guide the engagement with organizations such as the ILO and other international fora where trade union rights and issues affecting workers are discussed.

All the delegates in their address supported the Policy Document and the Social Charter. There was a commonality in the deliberations as all of them have to struggle against the onslaught of privatization and to defend their trade union rights. Speakers were unanimous that TUI has an important role in uniting the workers’ and employees’ movement. They called united action against the offensive of capitalist globalization. They called for greater international solidarity and opined that a strong pubic sector is essential prerequisite for sustainable national development.

All the delegates profusely thanked NEHAWU for the excellent arrangements in all departments of the Congress. Various organizations gave mementos and gifts to TUI and host organization NEHAWU.

Willy Marisha, President, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) also addressed the meeting. He said the theme of the Congress, ‘Facing the Challenges’ acknowledges the challenges faced by the poor and the working people and yet ends in an optimistic note through an alternative – an alternative where people comes before profit.

Sukomal Sen, General Secretary, TUI of PAE replied to the discussions on the Policy Document and Social Charter. He said that for implementing the slogan Facing the Challenges – working people of all countries must unite. Only interpreting the situation is not enough but how to change it – the political, social and economic system should the matter for consideration.

The working class must unite. . Viva Socialism – is the appropriate slogan for the emancipation of the working class. The Policy Document and the Social Charter were adopted unanimously.

Three new applications for affiliation from Inter-Bank Associations of Nepal, All India Bank Officers Association, All Pakistan Federation Of United Trade Unions (Public Services) were approved.

Thereafter General Secretary placed the proposed constitutional amendments based on present organizational position of the TUI PAE, which was approved unanimously. The following panel of office bearers were unanimously adopted:

President: Lulamile Sotaka South Africa
Vice Presidents: Micheal Archondites from Cyprus and C H Venkatachalam from India
General Secretary Sukomal Sen from India.

President TUI in his concluding speech commented that in TUI PAE a majority, about 90% members are mostly from the Asian and African countries, who have got nothing to loose in the fight against imperialism. Working people will have to analyse and locate their role in the struggle against imperialism and capitalism and fight.

The following important 16 resolutions were adopted in the Congress:

1.	Resolution on solidarity with the Cypriot working people - for peace and the reunification of the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
2.	Resolution on killing and persecution of trade union leaders in Philippines;
3.	Resolution on solidarity with the workers and people of Iran;
4.	Resolution on solidarity with workers and peoples of Iraq and support for their legitimate struggle to end the occupation and to build a free, democratic, united and independent Iraq;
5.	Resolution on pensioners, retired workers, disabled and old aged people;
6.	Resolution on restoration of democratic rule in Nepal;
7.	Resolution on intensification of trade union struggles against blockades and sanctions and their consequences;
8.	Resolution against political pressure, blockade and military aggression of the united states imperialism on the democratic popular republic of Korea;
9.	Resolution on working women;
10.	Resolution on the International Labour Organization;
11.	Resolution on the demand for the immediate release of the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters, political prisoners in the United States;
12.	Resolution on literacy as a basic human right;
13.	Resolution on Zimbabwe in its present struggle for recovering the lands still occupied by the ex-colonial masters;
14.	Resolution in solidarity with the working people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian revolution;
15.	Resolution on HIV/AIDS;
16.	Resolution in support of the democratic movement in Swaziland.

The Congress ended with a sense of unity among the public employees and with a pledge to expand the organization and to be an active participant of the international struggle of the working class against imperialism and globalization.

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