ITF Arab World unions commit to building democracy

News Release International Transport Federation (ITF) March 25, 2011

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A two day conference designed to support democratic trade unions
in the Middle East
closed in Amman, Jordan this week with a commitment to build and
sustain democracy
and independent trade unionism across the region. The meeting was
organised by the
ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and brought
together union
representatives from across the Arab World.
The meeting had been called by the ITF to:
• obtain guidance in developing a comprehensive 2011 ITF plan for
supporting
the development of democratic unions in the Arab
World;
• gain an assessment of the current situation for union organisation
among
transport workers in the region;
• make an assessment of immediate and medium term priorities for what
is
needed in each country to support the development of strong
democratic trade
unions; and
• identify international and regional strategies to support the
development of
strong democratic trade unions in the region.
Speaking from the conference, ITF general secretary David Cockroft
said: “Trade
unions played and are playing a pivotal role in the wave of reform
sweeping this region.
From Tunisia to Egypt and beyond they have been a focus of the
desire for progress,
representation and change; not just nationally but also in the way
workers are
represented and represent themselves. We have all witnessed what
that will has
achieved, and we now want to help build on the base that has been
laid in these last
months.”
ITF president Paddy Crumlin commented: “We hope that this event
will have played
some small part in helping share the experiences of both nascent
and established
democratic unions, and teaching those of us working outside the
Arab World how we
can best help support them.”
Delegates agreed the following statement:
‘Arab World transport leaders from 25 unions, from 10 Arab
countries representing
more than 100,000 transport workers in the region met in Amman on
the 22nd. And
23rd. of March to evaluate and plan for future strategies during
the very critical time
these days, when workers jointly with the people are fighting for
democracy and a
decent life. The delegations recognise the great revolutions in
Tunis and Egypt, which
resulted in changing regimes in both countries, and express their
deep concerns about
the situations in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and the rest of the
Arab countries;
delegations express full solidarity with all workers in the Arab
countries, and:
1. Call for an immediate ceasefire in Libya, and an immediate stop
to the killing of
innocent people in Libya. And for the Libyan regime to respect the
UN resolution
number 1973
2. Call for the Yemen regime to implement an immediate ceasefire
to stop the attacks
on civilians, and for the respect of the people’s right to
demonstrate freely and
peacefully. Call on investigation in the killings of civilians in
Yemen, and for the
government to respect the people’s call for the immediate transfer
to real democracy
3. Call on the Bahrain government to respect the call of the
workers and people in
Bahrain to express their rights to hold demonstrations, and the
immediate investigation
on the killing in Bahrain during the demonstrations. Call for a
real dialogue which will
lead to a real democratic state
4. The delegations participating in the meeting express their deep
concerns about the
governments’ actions against demonstrators in Algeria, Syria,
Saudi Arabia and
Jordan. Calling on all governments in the region to open dialogue
aiming for a full and
real democracy, believe that a free democratic and fully
independent trade union
movement is a necessary element in democratic society.
Delegates participating in this meeting, express their deep
appreciation to the ITF and
its affiliates around the world, who show great and real
solidarity during the disputes in
different Arab countries, recognising the solidarity shown by the
international transport
TU movement, and call for the ITF to continue support for
democratic and free
transport unions in the region, and:
1. Recognise the great role that transport workers union played in
Tunis. Their major
role was crucial to success in the revolution
2. Call upon the ITF to provide all technical and financial
support to help transport
unions in the region to face new challenges. Welcomes the new
independent unions in
the maritime sector in Egypt.
3. The ITF and its affiliates in the region welcome the new
developments in the region,
and recognise the freedom of association laid down in ILO
convention 87 which means
that all workers have the rights to have and choose their
unions.
4. The ITF and its affiliates in the region welcome the rise of
new independent unions
in the region. Both ITF and its affiliates will support these
unions, and do all necessary
actions to make sure that these unions decide to affiliate to the
ITF.
5. The ITF and its affiliates, call on all transport unions in the
region to be ready and
open to support new democratic unions that are expected to be
found in the Arab
countries in general, and particularly, the Gulf states, Sudan,
Syria, and Libya. The ITF
should provide all necessary needs to these unions at the right
time.
6. Delegates call on the Iranian regime for immediate and
unconditional release of
Mansour Osanloo, the head of the bus drivers’ union in Tehran, and
show full support
and solidarity to Osanloo, his family, his union, and other
Iranian trade union leaders.’
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