New Year message from the WFTU

Dear friends, workers, poor farmers, unemployed, homeless, Dear brothers and sisters in Africa, in Asia and the Pacific, in Latin America, in Europe and the Middle East ... ... on behalf of the leadership of World Federation of Trade Unions, we wish you health and strength for the new year 2010. We are in the middle of the international economic crisis. Unemployment, poverty, expensive prices on basic food-stuff, further raise. The imperialistic wars create more refugees and migrant workers, more destructions. The profits of the capitalists increase. In the last year the Working Class did many big, massive and efficient struggles. In the new year, new struggles could and should be even stronger. The trade union movement in all over the world to become stronger. The WFTU will be in the front line of these struggles and defend: The rights of all the workers, the rights of young people and the rights of women, for regular and stable jobs with good salaries and trade union freedoms. The rights of ordinary people for public health, education and social security. The survival of the financial immigrants and refugees. The cancellation of the debts of all Third World countries. The freeze of lay-offs and privatisations. The protection of the environment and the quality of life. To face the problems resulting from the climate change. To strengthen our internationalism and solidarity with the people of Cuba, with the important Bolivarians changes that are taking place in Latin America, with the people of Asia to stop child labour, with the people of Eastern Europe to stop the prostitution, with the people of Africa to stop the deaths for starvation and AIDS. With the struggles in Honduras against the coup d. etat, with our brothers from Colombia and the Philippines, who are being assasinated by paramilitary organizations. We will struggle to stop all the imperialistic wars, for the withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories and the foundation of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem for capital city. Dear colleagues, 2010 is for the WFTU a year of trade union formation and training. With concrete programmes of trade union training and education in all continents, in every country. With special care to the young workers who represent the hope for a socialistic world. We wish to the International Working Class health, strength and efficient struggles.