ICFTU OnLine | October 12, 2001
Brussels - As the scheduled date for the opening of the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference approaches, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has strongly criticised the remarks of United States Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick. In recent speeches, the US trade chief has been exploiting popular sentiment after the terrorist attacks of September 11 in his efforts to get a mandate for "fast track" trade liberalisation at the forthcoming WTO meeting.
An ICFTU statement issued today for the WTO Conference notes, "At a time when democracy and open society are under brutal attack, the international trade union movement underlines the need to recommit ourselves to building a world where democracy, equity, human rights and social justice prevail. The WTO must play its part in this process. However, this goal is not served by irresponsible efforts to invoke the terrible events of September 11 for narrow and partisan purposes, such as the description by the United States Trade Representative of 'fast track' as part of the fight against terrorism". In response, the international trade union movement has pledged to step up its campaign, both for the Global Unions Day of Action of November 9 (http://www.global-unions/wto-action) and by the trade union representatives going to Qatar, to ensure that globalisation works for the people and the WTO incorporates development, core labour standards, environmental rules and democratic procedures into its work at the Qatar Conference and afterwards.
Some crucial decisions must be made, the ICFTU believes, if the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference is to play its part in making the world a fairer place. These decisions include redressing imbalances against developing countries at the WTO, and guaranteeing respect for core labour standards in the work of the WTO - requiring a formal structure or WTO Committee to address trade and core labour standards, with the full participation of the ILO, and the inclusion of social, labour, gender, environment and development concerns in the WTO's trade policy review mechanism.
"The response to international terrorism and criminality must include support for the rule of law and international solidarity, rights and democracy", said Bill Jordan, ICFTU General Secretary. "We believe the US Trade Representative should concentrate on this effort, not on promoting a discredited model of destructive and impoverishing globalisation".
For the Full ICFTU Statement on the 4th Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Qatar please click here: http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991213933&Language=EN
The ICFTU represents more than 156 million workers in 221 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories. ICFTU is a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org
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