Report of Action of the TUI Chemistry – Energy

TUI Chemistry Energy

Report of Action 2018-2021

WFTU expanded its activities in the arena of Energy through first TUI (Energy) congress held at Mexico in 2007.  The initial step was further widened in the second congress held at Caracas (Venezuela) in 2012.

Third Congress was organised in September 2018. During this congress in Trivandrum, India, TUI Energy (TUI-E), changed its name as Trade Union International Chemistry & Energy (TUI – CE). It integrated unions of workers of chemicals, water, electricity, oil, gas, coal mines, rubber, plastics and pharmaceutical industries.

The TUI has adopted new statutes which recall the themes on which it is developing its activity and in particular:

  • Conservation of natural energy resources as well aquifers, as a concrete expression of the struggle of peoples and nations for their national sovereignty.
  • It stressed upon public control of energy, health, water, and major parameters of the economy, such as the chemical industries.
  • The right to a decent and secure job, to a salary according to the qualifications of workers and allowing the satisfaction of their needs, to solidarity social security, with high-level benefits and universal coverage in all countries of the world.
  • Full gravity for social and labor rights for immigrant workers and the elimination of all discrimination.
  • The exercise of and respect for human rights. The integration, in the United Nations Charter of Human Rights, of the use of energy and water as a human right and a heritage of peoples, without which mankind cannot speak of development.
  • The right to free trade union and political exercise as well as the right to collective bargaining and respect for contractual rights, as well as the retention and expansion of the social gains of workers and peoples.
  • Constant democratic and social progress to build a more just and humane society, free from economic exploitation and political oppression, whatever the ways in which they are manifested. This is why we are acting for the disappearance of the capitalist system.
  • The peaceful and rational use, in the service of all humanity, of scientific and technological progress, the promotion of equitable production and supply of energy models based upon weightage to the human right to a quality environment.
  • The fight against all forms of racism, xenophobia and discrimination in society, based on sex, marital status, disease, age, language, religion, political opinion, sexual orientation, ethnic, national or cultural origin.

In December 2018, the TUI hosted the first meeting of its new Executive Committee in Montreuil, near Paris, where the new TUI headquarters is located. This meeting made it possible to set up an activity calendar, to discuss the level of contributions for TUI members and to recall the priority areas of demand.

The second meeting of the executive committee was held in June 2019 in Cairo, Egypt, where TUI was hosted by the Arab Federation of Petroleum, Mining and Chemical Workers. This second meeting provided an overview of the activities in the different countries represented on the executive committee and was an opportunity to bring TUI support to the Egyptian workers in struggle. It was also recalled that one of the priority axes of our activity is to allow workers of multinationals to have the same axes of demands regardless of the country in which they live and work.

TUI (C&E) also took part in the WFTU Asia Pacific Regional meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal in September, 2019. Delegates from Oil, Gas and electricity from the countries namely Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, South Korea, Taiwan and Mongolia took part in this meeting. There was a side line meeting of the delegates of Chemistry & Energy. The meeting resolved to extend cooperation and cohesion among the C & E unions of the region towards improvement of TUI (C&E) activities in the region, when the rights of the people is being curbed.

Our TUI participated in the WFTU regional meeting in Argentina, held in Buenos Aires in October 2019. It gave its full support to the Argentine workers and the people of Argentina in the midst of the battle for the presidential election. It was reaffirmed that at all times, the workers must be heard and class trade union action must allow the establishment of progressive governments defending the collective interest against that of billionaires and multinational capitalists.

The pandemic which arose at the end of 2019 and which halted any possibility of international travel has prevented the continuation of meetings in the various countries and limited the activity of the TUI. But we still continued to discuss common issues, particularly through the newsletter.

Capitalism did not disarm itself during this period of human distress. Quite the contrary, it took the opportunity to accelerate the destruction of social rights in many countries. And when the people protest against these reactionary reforms, the repression is fierce. Everywhere, right-wing governments rendered in the service of capitalists, bloodshed the demonstrations of workers and citizens demanding more rights and freedoms. As was the barbaric and inhuman attack recently in Colombia and Palestine, we disdainfully decried. Constituents of TUI (C&E) organised protest demonstration in many countries to raise our loud voice of protest against these sorts of vandalism. Right-wing barbarism will not utter the last words. It is working class struggle all over the globe, will bring the bright days, we firmly believe.

TUI Chemistry Energy notes, with deep concern, that the Glasgow COP26 climate change conference held in November 2021 was unable to reach unanimous agreement. No sane person or organization can argue with the compelling need for action to halt the rate of global warming or carbon emissions. But the proponents of capital and the rulers only propose a change of capitalism. Replacing carbon energy capitalism with “green capitalism” is certainly not the solution. The victims will always be the workers. It is now necessary to rethink energy and environmental policies according to the needs of the people and not according to the profitability that this or that solution could bring.

Replacing energy resources based on hydrocarbons, coal and gas, under the pretext of protecting life, without considering either the workers in these sectors of activity, or the capacity of the proposed solutions to provide the energy necessary for all populations in the world is nonsense.

The TUI Chemistry Energy therefore launches a fervent appeal to this 18th Congress of the WFTU which is being held in Rome from May 6 to 8, 2022 to claim “A global energy transition by and for the people”. The UIS CE declares its solidarity with all the peoples who suffer from war and capitalism throughout the world. It reaffirms that one of the first demands that workers’ organizations must make is peace between peoples. Because when the war is there, no more claims exist: no question of claiming wages in time of war, nor working conditions or retirement. There is only war!

With this believe and faith upon the international solidarity of the working class must continue to live, and transnational struggles must be able to grow in response to capitalist barbarism. TUI Chemistry Energy will play its full part in these actions.

Source: WFTU