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An attack on affiliates is an attack on the ITF, regional conference told
8 May 2009
Employers that “pick a fight” with affiliates in the Americas region will have the ITF to deal with, warned ITF general secretary David Cockroft yesterday.
Addressing the opening of the ITF Latin America and Caribbean regional conference in Panama City, Panama, Cockroft told some 120 delegates representing ITF affiliates throughout the region that attacks on union rights were not going to get any better. He said that the ITF’s support would be needed more than ever before. He outlined examples of trade union repression, including the case of Pedro Zamora, leader of a dockers’ union in Guatemala, who paid with his life for defending union members, and described how the ITF had been leading efforts to bring his murderers to justice. The ITF was also challenging protection agreements, which were used by employers in Mexico to escape the control of strong independent trade unions.
He declared: “I can tell you on behalf of ITF union members in every region that we stand ready to tell your governments and your employers that if they pick a fight with you, they are picking one with a large strong and powerful organisation, which represents more than five million workers in 150 countries – and that we have muscle and are ready to use it.”
Cockroft also referred to Panama’s flag of convenience status, saying that the ITF was ready for dialogue with the Panamanian government about improving conditions on board their ships and boosting jobs for Panamanians and Latin American seafarers. The government had ratified the Maritime Labour Convention; now it needed to be enforced, he said.
The ITF’s congress next year, which would be held in Mexico City, provided unions with the opportunity to build strength in the region and within the ITF globally, he added.
In addition Cockroft thanked Carvil Duncan, who was stepping down as ITF Caribbean sub-regional office coordinator, for all his work and welcomed Kurtist Augustus, who had been appointed in his place.
Related pages:
Conference 2009
Conference 2009 Panama City
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