17th World Trade Union Congress
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – 5-8 OCTOBER 2016
Struggle – Internationalism – Unity
Forward! for the attainment of the contemporary needs of the working class against poverty and wars generated by capitalist barbarism
The World Federation of Trade Unions is honored to invite your Organization to be represented at the 17th World Trade Union Congress which will take place in Durban, South Africa on 5-8 October 2016. South Africa was chosen as the host of the 17th Congress in recognition and respect of the heroic land of South Africa and the expression of Internationalist Solidarity with the people of the entire African Continent.
At a time when the International Working Class is adversely affected by:
- The International Capitalist Crisis.
A crisis which intensifies the ruthless competition between the monopolies and forces the implementation of anti-labour and anti-peoples policies that seek to impose the burden of the crisis on the shoulders of the toiling masses. The labour, social and trade union rights are under attack. Privatizations flourish and unemployment rate is skyrocketing. The quality of life is degrading.
- The inter-imperialist contradictions that generate new wars and conflicts.
For the control of natural resources, markets, roads for transport of goods and the control of new territories, the competition between the imperialist forces and their satellites is being intensified day after day generating new wars, conflicts and interventions in different countries.
- The reconstruction of the political sphere.
The two main poles, the social-democrats and the neoconservatives which are represented by new or older parties, are utilized by the capitalist system to transform the indignation of the masses against the anti-peoples policies into passive or active support for the policy of the ruling class.
- The struggle of the working class and the toiling masses worldwide.
Struggles unfolded in all parts of the world during the past years. Many of them, great and heroic, had to deal with the brutal reaction of authorities and the capitalists who responded against the fair struggles with arrests, imprisonments of militants and even murder of trade unionists. The workers struggle against the anti-labor and neoliberal anti-people policies is the positive perspective that can open up new roads for the reconstruction of the trade union movement.
The working class needs stronger, more dynamic, more mass based, more class-oriented, trade union movement, Trade unions with deep and stable roots within the industries, within the multinationals and within all sectors, to defend its rights and demand “the attainment of its contemporary needs against poverty and wars generated by capitalist barbarism”. Move “Forward” with struggle, internationalism and unity.
The 17th World Trade Union Congress gives the call to go“Forward!” to the international working class and the international class-oriented trade union movement.
Based:
- on the historic background of the successful 16th World Trade Union Congress which took place in Athens, Greece during April 2011 with the participation of 828 delegates from 101 countries, and
- on the continuing upward movement of the World Federation of Trade Unions in the period 2005-2016 which today represents 92 million workers in 126 countries,
the WFTU is organizing an open, democratic, class-oriented and internationalist Congress in the heroic land of South Africa.
The World Federation of Trade Unions as well as the South African working class have struggled side by side from the very first moment against the racist apartheid regime for a world without exploitation of man by man, for a socialist world and continue till today the struggle for the defense of the workers and people’s rights.
South Africa, the land of the heroic liberation and anti-apartheid struggle, the land of the militant and heroic SACTU, the land of Moses Mabhida, J.B Marks, Mark Shope and thousands of other known and unknown fighters, the land of the heroic South African working class is ready to whole-heartedly welcome the 17th Congress delegates that will arrive from all around the world to discuss and resolute:
- The Report of Activities of the WFTU from 2011-2016
- Report on Finances
- The Plan of Action for 2016-2020
- The Election of the Leadership of WFTU.
Air Transport (to King Shaka International Airport Durban – DUR) must be covered by the participants.
The number of the delegates each organization is entitled to, will be announced soon. In order to meet financial needs of the 17th World Trade Union Congress, an open financial Campaign will be launched for the collection of funds from workers contributions. The Organizations Members and Fraternal Organizations are kindly requested to send their fees on time.
Registrations for the Congress open on May 1st 2016.
For more information please contact through the emails: [email protected], [email protected]
