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Since the 90^th birthday of Mandela in 2008 the United Nations (UN) declared 18 July, “Nelson Mandela Day”, where individuals, institutions and organisations throughout the world will dedicate sixty-seven (67) minutes on his birthday that will reflect values that Nelson Mandela has come to represent throughout the world. (Sixty-seven minutes represent the number of years of Nelson Mandela's life as an activist for this cause)



Central to the values Nelson Mandela represent today is that of Social Justice, to Inspire Change through Action and to act in pursuance of this cause on this day.



Today, for us in the Trade Union movement globally this is more necessary than ever before. Over the last number of years we have seen unprecedented attacks on workers and their families throughout the world. We have witnessed millions of workers losing their jobs, homes, access to health, education and other necessary social service. Today, in this world of abundance, millions of still starve and die of hunger. Today, organisations of citizens standing for Change and Social Justice have been under attack, not least of all the international trade union movement as bosses throughout the world want us, the workers, to pay for the global crisis they have orchestrated through their greed and search for profit. Today, our planet is under the threat as a result of their greed for profit.



What can we as workers and trade unions do for sixty-seven (67) minutes to honour the call for Social Justice and Inspire Change through Action?



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on building our workplace organisations.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can highlight the plight of casual workers.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on women workers.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on discrimination in the workplace.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on child labour.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on low wages.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can expose the hypocrisy of bosses and companies that act for sixty-seven minutes while the rest of the year they exploit workers without mercy.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on sixty-seven non union members and persuade them to join a Union.



For only sixty-seven minutes we can focus on strengthening the power of worker organisations to realize a world of Social Justice. But, in the spirit of the values of Nelson Mandela we must ACT to Inspire Change.



We call on all Union members to dedicate on this day only sixty-seven minutes to strengthen our Unions and further the cause of Social Justice wherever we find ourselves.