ITUC Calls On Presidents Of Latin America

ITUC Calls On Presidents Of Latin America To Implement Decent Work Agenda

Brussels, 30 January 2009 (ITUC OnLine): Almost 10,000 people attended a high-level meeting with the presidents of Latin America at the World Social Forum in Belem. The ITUC and its regional organisation for the Americas, the TUCA, was able to engage with them and urged presidents Lula, Chavez, Morales, Correa and Lugo, of Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay, to implement the decent work agenda.

The international trade union confederation called for the implementation of a new social and economic order that takes on board the proposals of the trade union movement and civil society. A new system of global governance is needed, and one that pushes forward the decent work agenda.

“The main elements of this agenda include the creation of decent jobs, with effective social protection,” said Mamounata Cissé, ITUC assistant general secretary, who took part in the event. “Workers' rights, respect for fundamental rights, equality and the building of global solidarity are essential to overcoming the current global crisis,” she added.

For the ITUC, this new governance implies a more equal distribution of wealth and the creation of green jobs. “In such a scenario,” said Victor Baez, general secretary of the TUCA, “regional social and economic integration will also be needed, especially in Latin America.”

The ITUC and the international trade union movement intend to play a key role in the defence of workers' rights within this new system of governance.

The ITUC represents 168 million workers in 316 affiliated national organisations from 157 countries.

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