The WFTU General Secretary, Pambis Kyritsis took the floor and addressed the 43rd Session of the General Council of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) which is taking place in Cairo, Egypt on 18-20 October 2022.
In his intervention, the WFTU General Secretary underlined the common values, common visions, and common struggles of the WFTU and OATUU, and he mentioned:
‘’The cooperation of our organizations is based on principles, and aims to create the conditions for a better world, free of political, economic and social inequalities, free of exploitation and injustice. WFTU, in its 77 years of life and action, has overtime and consistently, stood by the peoples of Africa.’’
‘’Policies that approach the issue of poverty, hunger and underdevelopment in Africa as issue of charity, essentially aims to reproduce the existing relations of economic and political dependence and the incredibly provocative economic and social inequalities.’’
‘’It is clear that only through the struggles, the goals of the labor movement are realized and social progress achieved. ‘’
Read the whole intervention of the WFTU General Secretary:
Speech of WFTU General Secretary Pambis Kyritsis to address the 43rd session of OATUU General Council
Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters,
It is with great and special joy that we convey to the delegates of the 43rd session of OATUU General Council, militant greetings on behalf of the more than 105 million members from 133 countries from all corners of the globe of the World Trade Union Federation.
We sincerely thank the leadership of OATUU who has given us this opportunity.
WFTU and OATUU are united by common values, common visions and common struggles.
The cooperation of our organizations is based on principles, and aims to create the conditions for a better world, free of political, economic and social inequalities, free of exploitation and injustice.
WFTU, in its 77 years of life and action, has overtime and consistently, stood by the peoples of Africa. It has supported with all its strength, the struggles for the liberation of its peoples from colonialism and national oppression, the struggles that continue unabated, against neocolonialism and imperialist predatory exploitation of the continent’s natural wealth. Against racism and racial discrimination.
In a «new world order» in which principles and values, measures and standards, are adapted to the interests and priorities of the monopolies and the powerful imperialist states, Africa, the continent with the most natural resources on our planet, remains the poorest and least developed.
It is clear to us, that policies that approach the issue of poverty, hunger and underdevelopment in Africa as issue of charity, essentially aims to reproduce the existing relations of economic and political dependence and the incredibly provocative economic and social inequalities.
WFTU defends fair and equivalents economic and political relations, which have to base on real solidarity, on reciprocity and on respect for the sovereignty and independence of peoples. On the development of infrastructure and preconditions, so that the economic, social and technological disparities to be reduced and to strengthen the possibilities of sustainable and independent development, able to guarantee to all peoples of Africa, a dignify standard of living.
Dear Colleagues,
At a time when the world is going through a phase of extreme intensification of political, economic, and military antagonisms for controlling and exploiting the economic resources of our planet, the peoples pay the price of the imperialist wars and interventions with death, refugees, and also with the deterioration of their living and working conditions.
The working class, the class-oriented trade unions all over the world, fighting for peace, for an end to imperialist interventions, for the dissolution of NATO and all military coalitions, and for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
The world peace is not being protected by even more militarism, or patronage of all kinds of far-right nationalists and fascists. It cannot be based on blockades, sanctions and economic wars.
Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters
Nowadays the economic crises of capitalism follow one another. The continuation of the war in Ukraine is making the economic crisis of capitalism deeper and the workers more vulnerable to the exploitation and the antilabor attacks. The pandemic has not only dramatically widened social inequalities but has also been used for new attacks against democratic rights and trade union freedoms. Especially in regions like Africa, in which the threat of the food crisis and the hunger is more than visible.
WFTU, under the general slogan:
– We will not pay for the capitalist crisis and the imperialist wars.
– Wage and pension increase Now.
call on workers in all countries, together to strengthen and massify the unions. To resist and mobilize. The struggles taking place in several countries are our hope and our future. Solidarity is our weapon.
It is clear that only through the struggles, the goals of the labor movement are realized and social progress achieved. Struggles for the satisfaction of the contemporary needs of the workers at all levels: salary, employment, security, culture, and mental. For democratic and trade union freedoms, collective bargaining and stable, permanent, and agreements-regulated labor; for autonomy Trade Unions, class oriented away from bureaucracy, corruption, and manipulation by the capital and employers. Against the action of the yellow unions that undermine the unity of workers and the strength and the effectiveness of the labor struggles.
Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters,
With OATUU, we were and remain, fellow travellers, marching shoulder to shoulder and supporting each other on the road of internationalism and class solidarity. On the road of building working class unity for economic liberation and social justice.
Not only for the protection and the improvement of the rights and the working conditions of the Africa Working Class, but also to defend the social achievements and the democratic and trade union freedoms all over the world.
I have no doubt that you will continue on this path, in militant spirit, for a better world, free of imperialistic wars and interventions, without any kind of discrimination and man-by-man exploitation.
I wish every success to your session and I assure you that in the face of WFTU you will always have a militant and selfless companion, on which you can always rely.
– Long live the working-class solidarity
– Long live OATUU
