Fighting Back Globally!
First ever Congress of Workers Uniting –
November 2011
The first ever
Congress of Workers Uniting – the global trade union structure
formed by UNITE and the USW - took place from 11-12 November 2011
under the theme of ‘Fighting Back Globally!’
Some 100 delegates gathered in central London for the congress,
including guests from Colombia, Bangladesh, Mexico and from the
representatives of the IMF and ICEM Global Union Federations.
At a parliamentary reception prior to the congress the Labour
party leader Ed Miliband welcomed delegates, saying it was truly an
historic occasion and reflected on the challenges that working
people face to remould an economic system to serve the 99 per cent
instead of the 1 per cent.
On the following day the Congress opened with key note speeches
from USW international president Leo W. Gerard (pictured left) and
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey (pictured right).
Len McCluskey said: “I share the view that that in the age of
global capital we need to become more global and international in
our trade union work. We can’t confront global companies if we
remain locked within our own national borders, and if we are
serious about challenging the power and dominance of global
financial markets, then we need to be capable of acting
globally.”
USW international president Leo W. Gerard said during his
opening speech, that standing up for the world's 99 percent is the
Workers Uniting mission: "We can globalise the fight for working
people all around the world … we have the vehicle to fight back and
that vehicle is Workers Uniting."
The congress was a hugely uplifting event that inspired
delegates and gave hope that there is an alternative to the cuts,
austerity and attacks on workers’ rights. During the course of the
day and a half motions were passed giving the new global union
clear direction on its political, organising, equalities, member to
member, and global solidarity strategies. Delegates left knowing
that a global fight back is underway!
Simon Dubbins, Unite international
director
