ITF leaders witnessed a historic moment this week as representatives of Cuban trade unions told the ITF executive board that they wanted to work with the Federation, which they called a “great organisation”.
“The aims of the ITF and of its sections as well as your overall direction has a lot in common with the work in our unions,” said transport union officer Juan Jose Polo, who, with port union leader Silverio Ruiz, visited London as a guest of the ITF executive board during the week of 21-25 October.
“We've heard clearly how this genuine union is striving to do the best it can for transport workers in Cuba facing difficult circumstances and we will build on this visit and the Cuba mission last year. We will continue to build and strive,” said acting ITF general secretary Steve Cotton.
“The ITF welcomes this historic step forward; we will remember this day,” declared ITF president Paddy Crumlin. “As transport workers we have many issues in common with our Cuban friends; we are working class people reaching out to strengthen solidarity.”
The executive board also endorsed a resolution from the ITF’s urban transport committee that condemned recent extra-judicial killings in the Philippines and called on the ITF to investigate the situation.
Members went on to hear from Ron Oswald, the general secretary of the food workers’ international IUF, who explained a key strategy in dealing with international companies was to create space for trade union negotiations. Constant and changing pressure was needed to win industrial conflicts, he said. ITF members thanked Oswald for the IUF support given to members of Turkey’s TUMTIS union, who recently won their dispute with DHL.
Steve Cotton’s first executive board as acting general secretary also saw a lively debate on resourcing and progressing young transport workers’ activities. Young workers’ chair Travis Harrison of Unifor, Canada, was strongly backed by speakers who called for the ITF to prioritise investment in this work.
The women transport workers’ committee’s “Action guide on violence against women” due for launch next month, also provoked enthusiastic support from board members. They called for the guide to be made widely available and for ITF-led programmes on this union issue.
Fringe events – a new initiative for the ITF congress in 2014 – were suggested for both these areas of activity; unions who can run, fund or part-fund stimulating events at next summer’s four-yearly decision-making assembly are invited to email fringe@itf.org.uk with their ideas.
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