Communiqué of the 1st Trilateral Conference of Ghana TUC/NLC/COSATU, held on May 4-6, at Accra, Ghana
Introduction
The 1st trilateral conference of Ghana TUC, Nigeria Labour Congress and Congress of South African Trade Unions held on May 4-6, 2010 at Accra, Ghana. The Conference arises as a response to the multifarious challenges confronting African working people in general and the working class in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa, particularly. The Conference had evolved as an idea over the past six years based on the need to forge greater trade union unity across the African continent in the spirit of international working class solidarity.
The persistent and continued underdevelopment of Africa and the pauperisation of its working people are traceable to the characteristic inequalities fostered by the capitalist mode of production, particularly in its neoliberal incarnation. The force socially positioned to checkmate and change this situation, being the working class; the need for the working class movement of our three countries to forge ever greater unity and solidarity, in the interest of our continent’s masses, had led to discussions and bilateral conferences over the last decade which paved the way to the summoning of the trilateral conference with the theme: “strengthening trade union solidarity in Africa”.
The Conference noted the following common challenges on the continent: rising unemployment particularly amongst the youth, growing informalization of work, rampant destitution, prevalence of poverty, growing income inequalities and continued immiseration of the mass of the population of the three countries flowing from a similar cause. These arise from the poverty of Africa because of its natural wealth and its continued peripheral position in the global economy.
Towards achieving the set aim of a strengthened trade union movement in Africa for the purpose of transforming Africa in the interest of its working people and poor, the conference discussed extensively and resolved thus:
RESOLUTIONS
1. The Conference-in-session considered the history of the formation and development of modern nations, realizing that these have not just happened but have been established through conscious processes geared at the consummation of peoples’ within defined territories, as communities of fate. In this light, the Conference-in-session resolved on mobilizing support for the re-constitution of the African Union as a Federation. The Conference-in-session further noted that while the establishment of a unified African federation might be a necessary condition for the liberation of Africa from centuries of peonage, marginalization and backwardness over the last half a millennium, it is not a sufficient condition. The Conference-in-session stressed the need for such an envisaged African modern state to be built on a developmentalist socioeconomic agenda that would have at its heart rapid industrialization and a political thrust rooted in popular participatory and people-empowering democracy, wherein the will of the people shall truly guide the actions of African leaders.
2. The Conference-in-session considered the present global economic crisis as a clear reflection of the impossibility of sustainable development for humankind on the basis of neoliberalism and capitalism. The situation of Africa it noted is even direr, fostered by the impact of: decades of implementation of World Bank and IMF-inspired policies that have led to loss of jobs and extreme liberalization of the economies of African countries making them highly vulnerable to external shocks; the rapacious activities of multinational corporations with attendant capital flight and; a class of ruling elites who have looked up more to Western international organizations and their recommendations than down to the people they claim to represent.
The Conference-in-session thus called for an alternative, emancipatory developmental strategy for Africa that would deepen participatory democracy and a people-oriented economic paradigm.
3. The Decent Work Agenda and global jobs pact were considered by the Conference-in-session as means of strategically engaging states and employers in defence of workers’ rights and for creating more jobs and better working conditions. The Conference-in-session however was strongly of the view that these should be linked closely to the eight basic needs development goals of: food; housing; health; education; water; electricity; transport and; communication.
4. Towards forging ever closer unity across Africa, in a process-driven approach to the formation of the African Federation, the Conference-in-session calls for the opening of borders of African countries for the free movement of people and goods, within a context of a united federation in which the welfare and political, social and economic democratic rights of all toiling Africans would be safeguarded.
5. The Economic Partnership Agreements, the Conference-in-session observed, represent attempts at once again furthering structurally putting African countries at a disadvantage in the global economy. Trade union federations in the Trilateral; are to work closely together in combating the imperialist thrust of the EPAs.
6. The Conference-in-session realizing the dynamics between thinking globally and acting locally stressed the need for trade unions to define our internationalist and continental working class agenda within the presently subsisting African nation-states through: building a united labour movement at the workplace level and nationally; building political power by consolidating alliances with progressive pro-worker political and civil society formations and; organising local economies through industrialization processes guided by growth and development paths capable of leading to the social transformation of our countries in the interest of workers and the poor.
7. The Conference-in-session was of the view that practical steps are not being taken to combat climate change, by states, particularly of Western countries. The continued sacrifice of our collective right to a safe planet, to satisfy the greed of a few that pursue production without sincere commitment to sustainable development, despite some lip service comes with grave consequences for us today and for generations to come. The Conference-in-session thus resolved that the three federations will continue to engage with nation-state governments, social movements and international organisations at the global level, on climate change from a position of social justice.
8. The Conference-in-session realizing the fundamental role of unity in entrenching internationalist working class solidarity, resolved on pursuing an ever deepening organizational and political unity of the African trade union movement within the context of the historical evolution of continental trade union unity, which would eschew a mechanical approach. The Conference-in-session further noted that while it is costly to maintain two continental trade union centres, the call for unity, must extend beyond cost-consideration and be hinged on building working class power on the continent.
9. The Conference-in-session considered it very critical for the trilateral to formulate a strategic framework for the three federations engagement continentally and globally, towards building working class power and defending the interests of African workers, within and with diverse international organisations such as the: ITUC; OATUU; GUFs; AU (particularly within the AU Labour and Social Affairs Commission); UN; ILO; WTO; World Bank and; IMF.
10. The Conference-in-session observed that several networks have emerged within the African trade union movement with importance for trade union knowledge generation, political education and awareness building. Amongst these networks are the African Labour Research Network and the African Labour Education Network. The Conference-in-session realized that the proper cultivation of these networks could result in strong research-to-policy and policy-to-action linkages for developing the trade union movement. The Trilateral would thus work assiduously for the development of these networks including committing resources for their activities and ensuring the continued relevance of their work to the cause of the African worker.
11. The Conference-in-session stressed the need for increased organising of young workers and women in the trade unions, and building their capacities for leadership. The Trilateral shall develop women and youths development programmes, which shall ensure that more young workers and women are active in the building of inclusive democratic unions across our federations
12. The Conference-in-session realized the importance of building sectoral trilateral linkages amongst the affiliates of the three collaborating federations and the trilateral resolved to actively promote the forging of such ties. These shall include union-to-union and worker-to-worker exchanges; joint conferences; e-conferences and; exchanges of information and perspectives, which shall be encouraged by the federations
13. The present world capitalist crisis is the worst in almost a century, resulting in resistance which is rising across the world. There however is the gapping absence of a powerful alternative consensus on the character of another possible world, in concrete terms. The Trilateral was of the opinion that the working class needs to formulate a clear anti-capitalist agenda around which it should mobilize other exploited and oppressed strata and peoples in the world to challenge the overlords of capitalism through emancipatory struggles that would lead to the emancipatory liberatory of a new world
14. The Conference-in-session noted the rising poverty which has contributed to the spread of epidemics and pandemics in Africa, including HIV/AIDS. The Conference-in-session considered the need for unions to deepen their engagement with the process of mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and to equally address the issue of poverty in a way and manner that would ensure that the African masses have control over the immense resources that Africa has.
15. The Conference-in-session noted the need to end unhelpful cultures and practices in our organizations and the broader society and to cultivate alternative emancipatory cultures and revolutionary practices, for us to seize the future from today. These must include: improving communications between ourselves and the institutions we work with through the effective use of modern means of communication such as e-mails and the internet at large and through seconding the best of our cadres to serve in the institutions we have identified as strategic in the pursuance of our agenda.
16. The Conference-in-session saluted the gallant peoples of Cuba who despite continued economic and political attacks by Western capitalist states have remained maintained their right to self-determination of the pathway to development. The Conference-in-session thus calls on the European Union to desist from its recent hardly veiled intent of intervention in the internal affairs of the country. The Conference-in-session similarly hailed the determination of Palestinian working people to winning their self-determination as a people and calls for Palestinian sovereignty to be granted forthwith.
17. The Conference-in-session noted with regrets the passage of the Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who had taken ill since November last year. The Conference-in-session extended its condolence to the Nigeria Labour Congress, and indeed all Nigerians on the loss. The Conference-in-session further calls for the enthronement of peace, unity and good governance in Nigeria at this critical point in its national development.
Conclusion
The NLC, COSATU and all Conference participants expressed heartfelt appreciation of the hospitality of Ghana TUC and the Ghanaian people on the occasion of this historic conference.
The Federations and entire Conference participants dedicated themselves to fulfilling the Conference resolutions, building a new Africa and forging ever stronger global international working class solidarity.
Long live Ghana TUC!
Long live NLC!
Long live COSATU!
Sgd
Kof Asamoah
Secretary-General, Ghana TUC
Sgd
Abdulwahed Omar
President, NLC
Sgd
Zwelinzima Vavi
General Secretary, COSATU
The 1st trilateral conference of Ghana TUC, Nigeria Labour Congress and Congress of South African Trade Unions held on May 4-6, 2010 at Accra, Ghana. The Conference arises as a response to the multifarious challenges confronting African working people in general and the working class in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa, particularly. The Conference had evolved as an idea over the past six years based on the need to forge greater trade union unity across the African continent in the spirit of international working class solidarity.
The persistent and continued underdevelopment of Africa and the pauperisation of its working people are traceable to the characteristic inequalities fostered by the capitalist mode of production, particularly in its neoliberal incarnation. The force socially positioned to checkmate and change this situation, being the working class; the need for the working class movement of our three countries to forge ever greater unity and solidarity, in the interest of our continent’s masses, had led to discussions and bilateral conferences over the last decade which paved the way to the summoning of the trilateral conference with the theme: “strengthening trade union solidarity in Africa”.
The Conference noted the following common challenges on the continent: rising unemployment particularly amongst the youth, growing informalization of work, rampant destitution, prevalence of poverty, growing income inequalities and continued immiseration of the mass of the population of the three countries flowing from a similar cause. These arise from the poverty of Africa because of its natural wealth and its continued peripheral position in the global economy.
Towards achieving the set aim of a strengthened trade union movement in Africa for the purpose of transforming Africa in the interest of its working people and poor, the conference discussed extensively and resolved thus:
RESOLUTIONS
1. The Conference-in-session considered the history of the formation and development of modern nations, realizing that these have not just happened but have been established through conscious processes geared at the consummation of peoples’ within defined territories, as communities of fate. In this light, the Conference-in-session resolved on mobilizing support for the re-constitution of the African Union as a Federation. The Conference-in-session further noted that while the establishment of a unified African federation might be a necessary condition for the liberation of Africa from centuries of peonage, marginalization and backwardness over the last half a millennium, it is not a sufficient condition. The Conference-in-session stressed the need for such an envisaged African modern state to be built on a developmentalist socioeconomic agenda that would have at its heart rapid industrialization and a political thrust rooted in popular participatory and people-empowering democracy, wherein the will of the people shall truly guide the actions of African leaders.
2. The Conference-in-session considered the present global economic crisis as a clear reflection of the impossibility of sustainable development for humankind on the basis of neoliberalism and capitalism. The situation of Africa it noted is even direr, fostered by the impact of: decades of implementation of World Bank and IMF-inspired policies that have led to loss of jobs and extreme liberalization of the economies of African countries making them highly vulnerable to external shocks; the rapacious activities of multinational corporations with attendant capital flight and; a class of ruling elites who have looked up more to Western international organizations and their recommendations than down to the people they claim to represent.
The Conference-in-session thus called for an alternative, emancipatory developmental strategy for Africa that would deepen participatory democracy and a people-oriented economic paradigm.
3. The Decent Work Agenda and global jobs pact were considered by the Conference-in-session as means of strategically engaging states and employers in defence of workers’ rights and for creating more jobs and better working conditions. The Conference-in-session however was strongly of the view that these should be linked closely to the eight basic needs development goals of: food; housing; health; education; water; electricity; transport and; communication.
4. Towards forging ever closer unity across Africa, in a process-driven approach to the formation of the African Federation, the Conference-in-session calls for the opening of borders of African countries for the free movement of people and goods, within a context of a united federation in which the welfare and political, social and economic democratic rights of all toiling Africans would be safeguarded.
5. The Economic Partnership Agreements, the Conference-in-session observed, represent attempts at once again furthering structurally putting African countries at a disadvantage in the global economy. Trade union federations in the Trilateral; are to work closely together in combating the imperialist thrust of the EPAs.
6. The Conference-in-session realizing the dynamics between thinking globally and acting locally stressed the need for trade unions to define our internationalist and continental working class agenda within the presently subsisting African nation-states through: building a united labour movement at the workplace level and nationally; building political power by consolidating alliances with progressive pro-worker political and civil society formations and; organising local economies through industrialization processes guided by growth and development paths capable of leading to the social transformation of our countries in the interest of workers and the poor.
7. The Conference-in-session was of the view that practical steps are not being taken to combat climate change, by states, particularly of Western countries. The continued sacrifice of our collective right to a safe planet, to satisfy the greed of a few that pursue production without sincere commitment to sustainable development, despite some lip service comes with grave consequences for us today and for generations to come. The Conference-in-session thus resolved that the three federations will continue to engage with nation-state governments, social movements and international organisations at the global level, on climate change from a position of social justice.
8. The Conference-in-session realizing the fundamental role of unity in entrenching internationalist working class solidarity, resolved on pursuing an ever deepening organizational and political unity of the African trade union movement within the context of the historical evolution of continental trade union unity, which would eschew a mechanical approach. The Conference-in-session further noted that while it is costly to maintain two continental trade union centres, the call for unity, must extend beyond cost-consideration and be hinged on building working class power on the continent.
9. The Conference-in-session considered it very critical for the trilateral to formulate a strategic framework for the three federations engagement continentally and globally, towards building working class power and defending the interests of African workers, within and with diverse international organisations such as the: ITUC; OATUU; GUFs; AU (particularly within the AU Labour and Social Affairs Commission); UN; ILO; WTO; World Bank and; IMF.
10. The Conference-in-session observed that several networks have emerged within the African trade union movement with importance for trade union knowledge generation, political education and awareness building. Amongst these networks are the African Labour Research Network and the African Labour Education Network. The Conference-in-session realized that the proper cultivation of these networks could result in strong research-to-policy and policy-to-action linkages for developing the trade union movement. The Trilateral would thus work assiduously for the development of these networks including committing resources for their activities and ensuring the continued relevance of their work to the cause of the African worker.
11. The Conference-in-session stressed the need for increased organising of young workers and women in the trade unions, and building their capacities for leadership. The Trilateral shall develop women and youths development programmes, which shall ensure that more young workers and women are active in the building of inclusive democratic unions across our federations
12. The Conference-in-session realized the importance of building sectoral trilateral linkages amongst the affiliates of the three collaborating federations and the trilateral resolved to actively promote the forging of such ties. These shall include union-to-union and worker-to-worker exchanges; joint conferences; e-conferences and; exchanges of information and perspectives, which shall be encouraged by the federations
13. The present world capitalist crisis is the worst in almost a century, resulting in resistance which is rising across the world. There however is the gapping absence of a powerful alternative consensus on the character of another possible world, in concrete terms. The Trilateral was of the opinion that the working class needs to formulate a clear anti-capitalist agenda around which it should mobilize other exploited and oppressed strata and peoples in the world to challenge the overlords of capitalism through emancipatory struggles that would lead to the emancipatory liberatory of a new world
14. The Conference-in-session noted the rising poverty which has contributed to the spread of epidemics and pandemics in Africa, including HIV/AIDS. The Conference-in-session considered the need for unions to deepen their engagement with the process of mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and to equally address the issue of poverty in a way and manner that would ensure that the African masses have control over the immense resources that Africa has.
15. The Conference-in-session noted the need to end unhelpful cultures and practices in our organizations and the broader society and to cultivate alternative emancipatory cultures and revolutionary practices, for us to seize the future from today. These must include: improving communications between ourselves and the institutions we work with through the effective use of modern means of communication such as e-mails and the internet at large and through seconding the best of our cadres to serve in the institutions we have identified as strategic in the pursuance of our agenda.
16. The Conference-in-session saluted the gallant peoples of Cuba who despite continued economic and political attacks by Western capitalist states have remained maintained their right to self-determination of the pathway to development. The Conference-in-session thus calls on the European Union to desist from its recent hardly veiled intent of intervention in the internal affairs of the country. The Conference-in-session similarly hailed the determination of Palestinian working people to winning their self-determination as a people and calls for Palestinian sovereignty to be granted forthwith.
17. The Conference-in-session noted with regrets the passage of the Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who had taken ill since November last year. The Conference-in-session extended its condolence to the Nigeria Labour Congress, and indeed all Nigerians on the loss. The Conference-in-session further calls for the enthronement of peace, unity and good governance in Nigeria at this critical point in its national development.
Conclusion
The NLC, COSATU and all Conference participants expressed heartfelt appreciation of the hospitality of Ghana TUC and the Ghanaian people on the occasion of this historic conference.
The Federations and entire Conference participants dedicated themselves to fulfilling the Conference resolutions, building a new Africa and forging ever stronger global international working class solidarity.
Long live Ghana TUC!
Long live NLC!
Long live COSATU!
Sgd
Kof Asamoah
Secretary-General, Ghana TUC
Sgd
Abdulwahed Omar
President, NLC
Sgd
Zwelinzima Vavi
General Secretary, COSATU
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