Cosatu Welcomes All Brics Trade Union Allies to South Africa

Concluding the first BRICS Trade Union Forum held in Moscow, Russia, 11th December, 2013 (after the preliminary meeting in Geneva on the sidelines of the ILO Conference), the forum said, "Trade Unions of the Federative Republic of Brazil, The Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, uniting over 200 million organised workers, welcome and actively support the processes of the BRICS crystallisation - the establishment of a new structure of global governance and co-operation".

It went on to say, "BRICS represents 25 % of the world GDP, the second, the fourth and the eighth world economies, and 30% of the earth's surface. During the last seven years, over 50% of world economic growth has been due to the BRICS member states. Now and for the foreseeable future, they are the locomotive of the world economic development".

It then stated further that, "trade unions are ready to take up their place in these processes, and above all, in the area of creation of decent jobs, protection of labour, defence of workers interests and attainment of social justice".

It finally said, "On the basis of the above-stated principles, we declare the setting up of a BRICS Trade Union Forum as a means of dialogue and cooperation among our peoples, striving to confer to BRICS a social dimension underpinned by the ILO decent work concept... we declare furthermore our willingness to make a constructive contribution to the discussion of issues touching upon workers interests in the framework of the preparation and holding of the next BRICS Summit in 2013 in South Africa".

With these words, the framework of working class collaboration in the BRICS family was born and we are gathering in Durban to build on the foundation established in Moscow last year and to further take forward the perspectives of positioning the BRICS trade union movement, working with all our allies, particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America and Caribbeans or the whole global south, at the critical edge of a new development foundation and global economic justice in the world, that which serve humanity, the environment and not the narrow profit interests of the rich few.

We take this opportunity to welcome all our friends from the BRICS countries, first and foremost, our fellow comrades and friends from the rest of the African continent and all who have joined us in this 3 days gathering to pose and answer the most critical and pressing questions of our time about our future, the future of the global working class movement in our various countries and beyond.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201303251176.html

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