- The Guardian
- Issue #2006
The Communist Party of Australia congratulates comrade Pampis Kyritsis of AKEL on his election last Sunday 8th May as the Secretary General of the class-oriented World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).
The WFTU successfully hosted its 18th World Trade Union Congress in Rome, Italy, on the 6th-8th May 2022. The Congress was held under the slogan: “United, we continue! For the satisfaction of our contemporary needs, against imperialist-capitalist barbarity!”.
WFTU’s congress took place in a historical moment of the COVID pandemic, deep economic crisis, war and a greater attack on working people by capitalist governments that are imposing the cost of the economic crisis on the shoulders of workers – men and women – worldwide. The Congress was attended by 490 delegates from 110 countries from all continents.
The 18th Congress paid tribute to comrade George Mavrikos who guided WFTU into a more democratic and dynamic labour organisation over seventeen years from the time of his election in 2005.
In his first speech comrade Pampis acknowledged the work of his predecessor comrade Mavrikos and pledged to continue developing the class-oriented organisation in the interest of the more than 110 million workers affiliated to the WFTU.
Despite the attempts by the imperialist forces to assimilate or dismantle the class-oriented trade union federation, WFTU has survived and developed into a powerful force capable of continuing the struggle for workers’ rights, collective bargaining and to oppose privatisation and the destruction of the welfare state.
An important task ahead is the unity of the labour movement to diminish the influence of social democracy.
The CPA wishes comrade Pampis Kyritsis and all the comrades elected to WFTU’s presidential council success in their tasks for the period ahead.
Long live the World Federation of Trade Unions!
