Representatives of the ITF Americas regional committee gathered last week in Rio de Janeiro to discuss regional priorities and set a workplan to be presented at a regional conference in November.
Antonio Fritz, ITF Americas regional secretary said: “We have major challenges for the region in many areas. ITF affiliates here are united and will play an active part in setting the direction of the organisation. ITF coordination and strategic teams will help to achieve all the regional goals we are setting – but now more than ever we must use our voices to achieve change together.”
Steve Cotton, ITF acting general secretary was also present. Cotton spoke about the new ITF structure, which focuses on strengthening support to the regional offices through the sections and the secretariat and creating coordination and strategy teams. The new structure also emphasises the importance of affiliates feeding back to ITF headquarters through regional offices. This will enable the gathering of regional objectives and actions for the preparation of the 2014-2018 working programme to be presented at ITF conference in Bulgaria next year.
Cotton also presented some of the ITF priorities for Latin America and the Caribbean to be considered in the work plan, such as organising unorganised workers, considering the trade union model, and ‘alternative’ organisations representing workers. Women and youth activities will be promoted in the region through education programs.
