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19 April, 2010
The ICEM-affiliated Italian Chemical, Energy and Manufacturing Workers’ Union, FILCEM-CGIL, has merged with the Italian Textile Workers’ Union, FILTEA-CGIL, to establish the new union FILCTEM-CGIL (Chemical, Textile, Energy and Manufacturing Workers’ Union). The official creation of the new union occurred at its Founding Congress, held on 7-9 April 2010, in the city of Pesaro.
Representing over 250,000 members, the newly-created FILCTEM has 28 national collective agreements, covering more than 1,300,000 employees, in Italy, in chemicals and pharmaceuticals, textiles and clothing and footwear, rubber, plastics, glass, leather tanning, ceramics and tiles, energy (oil, gas transport, mining) and utilities (electricity, water, gas).
FILCTEM-CGIL is affiliated to the ICEM, PSI and ITGLWF at the global level, as well as to EMCEF, EPSU and ETUF:TCL at the European level.
The Founding Congress, held under the slogan “Founded in the Workplace”, was attended by around 800 delegates and guests. International participants were ICEM’s Kemal Özkan, Chemical and Rubber Industries Officer, ITGLWF and ETUF:TCL’s Patrick Itschert, General Secretary, EMCEF’s Reinhard Reibsch, General Secretary, and EPSU’s Jan Willem Goudriaan, Deputy General Secretary.
Alberto Morselli
Alberto Morselli, General Secretary of the new organisation, opened the Congress, and outlined priorities for the upcoming period as increasing employee participation, workers’ rights beyond the crisis, constitutional transparency and legality, government’s policies on production and employment, energy efficiency, and renewable resources for the future. General Secretary Morselli emphasised the importance of unity and strength in light of a continued attack on workers’ rights. He declared that the new FILCTEM will struggle for change.
Other Italian unions, FEMCA-CISL, FLAI-CISL, UILCEM-UIL, and UILTA-UIL participated in the Congress, and will work together with FILCTEM.
The second day of the Congress was marked by a round table discussion entitled “Industrial Innovation for Developing Employment and Overcoming the Crisis”. Chaired by Alberto Morselli, the round-table was attended by Guglielmo Epifani, General Secretary of CGIL, Giorgio Squinzi, President of Federchimica (chemical employers’ organisation), Michele Tronconi, President of Sistema Moda Italia (textile employers’ organisation) and Giuliano Zuccoli, President of Assoelettrica (electricity employers’ organisation). There were also a number of high level representatives of large companies such ENI and ENEL.
The Congress appointed Valeria Fedeli as Vice-General Secretary. She had been General Secretary of FILTEA-CGIL and continues as President of ETUF:TCL.