12-15-08, 9:34 am
Original source: People's Democracy
At the invitation of the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) a meeting of senior trade union leaders of five South Asian countries, namely India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri lanka, was organized in Beijing on November 18 -19, 2008. A seminar on “Sustainable Development And The Role of Trade Unions,” was followed by discussions on various aspects of the present day scenario in economic, social and environmental matters with particular reference to this region. CITU, INTUC, AITUC, BMS, HMS and AIUTUC were invited from India. The CITU was represented by Ardhendu Dakshi, national secretary and A Soundararajan, general secretary, Tamilnadu state committee of CITU. A total of 27 delegates from abroad and all the heads and senior leaders of different departments of ACFTU attended the seminar.
This meet assumed added significance because of the major crisis looming large in the world economy and the growing attack on jobs, wages and rights of workers almost everywhere. The situation certainly demands greater understanding between the trade unions beyond national boundaries and concerted action by the working class to ward off the major dangers we are faced with.
Yu Hong Qiu, secretary ACFTU, inaugurated the seminar. She stressed that “The solution of new problems and new challenges brought by the economic globalization to the international trade union movement requires joint efforts of trade unions in various countries and consultation and cooperation of the international trade union movement, that the trade union organizations in different countries shall enhance mutual cooperation, boost the economic and social development of various countries, realize the legal rights and interests of various countries.”
She underlined the need for the working class to take up matters of environmental protection enthusiastically, for sustainable growth of the economy and welfare of the people. She emphasized that ACFTU would “promote and develop international trade union relationship based on mutual respect, equal exchange, friendly cooperation, democracy and unity.” The participant trade union leaders from the five countries spoke on the subject and naturally had divergent views in the interpretation of the situation and explanation of the role of the trade unions. Some of the unions focussed on environmental issues, protection of nature, and containing global warming. Some unions narrated the history of their own organization and made general observations about the present day economy. Some union representatives lauded giant multi-national corporations for making headway and spending billions of dollars for ecological balance and suggested a “carrot and stick” policy for corporates, to reward for good work in conservation of nature and resources and punishment for not doing this.
