Global unions pledge their support for a "new agenda of shared global development"

outlined to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland yesterday by Brazil's new President Lula*.

Brussels, 27 January 2003, by ICFTU
Posted Feb. 2, 2003

Globalisation will only work, said the unions, if people north and south of the equator feel part of the process and share in any benefits.

The reality is that 20 million people worldwide lost their jobs in the last two years and the total number of working poor around the globe has risen to 550 million.

"A new agenda has got to include eradicating poverty and hunger and give greater priority to stimulating sustainable, economic growth to create new jobs," said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

"Respect has to be a big part of the new agenda - respect for citizens of developing as well as developed countries, respect for the global rights of workers and respect for the ambitions of all families to provide a decent life for their children."

Unions challenged big business to accept the new agenda, change their behaviour and work with unions and communities.

"We have to build trust well beyond an end to fiddling in corporate boardrooms - desperately needed as that is.

"We have to build trust in a new globalisation process that offers direct hope to the 45 million Brazilians who live below the poverty line, to the 40 million Americans who have no health care cover and provide a basis for fair trade wherever you live."

The World Economic Forum was challenged to shake off its image of privilege and begin working in the ghettoes of deprivation.

A start can be made by building closer links with the World Social Forum launched in Porto Alegre and due to be held next year in India.

"As well as President Lula's war on hunger we need a war on despair," said the unions. "We can start by direct dialogue between the few who benefit from the current version of globalisation and the many who are left out."

The unions warned of a "slide to war" in Iraq and repeated their call for the crisis to be handled through the United Nations.

"The poor will suffer most from war - whether in Iraq or in a developing world least able to absorb the economic dislocation of a major conflict," said Mr Ryder.

* President Lula met with international trade union leaders in Davos yesterday. For more information: http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991217010

For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0212.

The ICFTU represents 158 million workers in 231 affiliated organisations in 150 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org

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