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2 July, 2007
The World Federation of Industry Workers (WFIW) held its Dissolution World Congress in Houffalize, Belgium, on 14 June 2007. The 80 participants at this historic meeting, from 25 countries, unanimously took the decision to integrate the WFIW structures into the ICEM, a process which will be finalised at the ICEM's 4th World Congress in November 2007 in Bangkok.
The WFIW is one of the International Trade Federations formerly affiliated to the World Confederation of Labour (WCL), the international trade union confederation which, together with the former ICFTU, recently merged to create the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The Dissolution Congress, with ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda present, was just one step in a longer process to prepare the WFIW’s integration into the ICEM. That process starting in 2004 at a WFIW meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria.
From left to right: Justin Daerden; Carlos Geatan; Italo Rodomonti; Bart Bruggeman; Manfred Warda; Achille Dutu and Romuald Nuwopke
Further essential decisions were taken at the May 2005 WFIW Congress, held in Dakar, Senegal, where the WFIW adopted a resolution entitled “Solidarity and Future Actions,” which gave the WFIW Executive Committee a mandate to continue the integration process with the ICEM. That paved the way for the WFIW dissolution Congress in Houffalize last month.
Most WFIW affiliated unions, roughly two-thirds of the WFIW's membership, operate in ICEM sectors, and are expected to join the ICEM at or following its Bangkok Congress.
WFIW General Secretary Italo Rodomonti said he strongly believes that “after the integration of the WFIW members into the ICEM, pluralism within the international trade union confederation will form a firm basis for a stronger international trade union federation.”
The Dissolution Congress elected Italo Rodomonti, as well as Achille Dutu from Romania, as future ICEM Presidium members. Brazil's Wilson Wanderlei Viera and Alphonse Beya Tshimbu from the Democratic Republic of Congo were elected to become ICEM Executive Committee members.
The Dissolution Congress was followed by a two-day seminar, which highlighted the many problems related to immigration, with discussions centring on possibilities regarding social dialogue in this complex area.