UNI plans to build union spirit from Nagasaki Congress to Cape Town
With the most successful World Congress in its history just a few months behind it, UNI Global Union is already looking forward to 2014, when thousands of its members will gather in Cape Town, South Africa, to chart the path forward for workers in the global private services sector. The key will be to change the rules of the global economic game to end the winner-take-all global economy.
The key will be to change the rules of the global economic game to end the winner-take-all global economy.
At the UNI Management Committee meeting in Nyon, chaired by UNI President Joe de Bruyn, committee member praised the 2010 Congress in Nagasaki, Japan, for its inclusive spirit and its ambitious agenda. Special mention was made of the dedicated work of the UNI Liaison Council of Japan, who oversaw all of the local planning.
A key part of the Congress was the participant of the “red jacket volunteers”, young union members who from around Japan who volunteered for many tasks during the Congress. They were identified by the cheerful red jackets they wore bearing the Congress logo. Seen as the next generation of leaders, they have now formed a group of young activists who have kept in touch even though the Congress is over.
After the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March, those feelings of solidarity and friendship prompted many unions to send donations and messages of support to their Japanese colleagues.
“I’d like to thank everyone in the UNI family for all their donations and other kinds of support, said Tomoyasu Kato, of Japanese telecom union ICTJ, at the management committee meeting. “We are truly grateful. This has been a huge disaster with huge repercussions.”
De Bruyn said over 450,000 CHF was raised by UNI affiliates and sent to the Japanese unions.
“It shows the solidarity of our affiliates with Japan, particularly after the Congress in Nagasaki,” de Bruyn said. “We send our condolences and solidarity to all the people of Japan.”
Plans are already underway for the 2014 Congress in Cape Town.
“We will have same spirit in Cape Town that we did in Nagasaki,” said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. “Cape Town is unique and rich in symbolism. We will hold our Congress in the year South Africa marks the 20th anniversary of democracy in the country.”
UNI Africa has set some high goals for the region ahead of the Congress. Its unions have approved a plan to build their membership to 2 million members in the region by 2014 and to double membership in South Africa.