THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL 45 (Investment Fund International Trade Union Movement)

WFCW President Roel Rotshuizen visiting the Ghana office in Accra. 
On his left Kanga of the Ghanese agricultural workers trade union. (February 1996)

During a WFCW (World Federation of Clerical Workers) mission to West Africa together with president Roel Rotshuizen and Nebeyu Shone, CNV coordinator for international cooperation in Africa (February 1996), I got the idea to set up an investment fund for the construction of trade union houses for WCL members. A visit to the building of the Ghanaian trade union movement, which was just liberated from the one-party regime, gave me the idea. The trade union building had been donated by the British TUC - I believe - during the independence of Ghana: an ugly flat of concrete with about 5 floors. After all these years the building looked bad. The elevator did not work. There was a lack of maintenance, a well known symptom of lack of money or wrong priorities.

Back at home, I wrote a Memoradum containing the main arguments for establishing an investment fund (16 April 1996). The reason why such an investment fund is needed, is mainly explained in section 3 of the memorandum: " generally international solidarity funds refuse to finance similar infrastructure costs (trade union houses and furniture), and an (international) system of credit does not exist in this area. The result is that many trade unions stay in a vicious circle: too few resources to purchase or to rent a trade union office or training centre, resulting in poor service to its members so membership remains low which means little income and therefore no money to buy the necessary things. The investment fund is meant to give a helping hand so the vicious circle will be broken down.

Official meeting at FOPADESC, the training and office centre of the 
WCL regional organization ODSTA in Lomé, Togo. 
From left to right: Kanga from Ghana, Adrien Akouete (secretary general ODSTA), 
Asante (director FOPADESC), Shone (coordinator international cooperation CNV) 
and Kikongi (president ODSTA). Photograph made by Petrus, february 1996

The idea was that the fund would become an instrument to promote a dialogue of solidarity by providing loans that will enable the unions to build their own union house and to furnish it. Since a loan must be paid back with interest, the unions were encouraged to present a scheme of repayment based on the possible growth of trade union membership as well as activities, for example training and education. That income could be anything. In the first place, of course, dues payment followed by for example rental canteen or meeting rooms, the fees for copying documents etc. It was up to the trade unions to see what possibilities exist and to decide which direction to go.

The underlying idea was also that the unions take more care of a self-financed building than when the building is donated. An experience I had gained working with cooperatives in Costa Rica. A second rationale was that the trade unions would also wonder what kind of of a building best suits their needs, a building adapted to the conditions in the country and to the trade union. Such a building would immediately be an expression of self-awareness. I admit that it was an idealistic thought, but a degree of idealism is needed if one wants to make progress.

Visit to the Benin Trade Union Confederation CGTB. 
In the middle Pascal Todjenou, Secretary General. 
The CGTB was affiliated to the WCL.

We succeeded to convince the Dutch CNV unions in the construction and services sector to participate in the investment fund, soon followed by the Belgian ACV trade unions in the construction and services sector together with the Foundation of miners. The Swiss CNG Construction trade union decided also to participate. Ultimately, the fund received almost half a million Euros from trade unions that were also members of the WCL International Trade Union Federations.

The first meeting of the participants was held on March 18, 1997 at the CNV Wood and Building Federation in Bunnik, Netherlands. Present were the donors of the first hour. One of the main decisions was that the donated amount of money should be considered as a loan without interest. WCL General Secretary Willy Thys proposed that WCL should administer the fund. But it was decided to set up a foundation that would administrate the fund. Willy Thys also informed that WCL and ACV President Willy Peirens wondered why such a fund was established. CNV President Anton Westerlaken did not answer to the invitation to participate.

Family Photo during a WFCW regional seminar in Fopadesc (October 1997)
In the middel of the first raw Adrien Akouete, secretary general ODSTA. 
On his right side Koffi Zounnadjala, 
secretary general of the Pan African Federation of Employees FPE. 
On the first row on the left Ivo Psenner (Austria), 
President of the European organization of the WFCW. 
On the other side Charles Steck (Swiss), 
secretary of finances of the WFCW. On his left Chris Lenaerts,
from then WCL secretariat.
Charles has passed away last year.

The WCL African Organization DOAWTU had a regional office and training centre in Lomé, Togo called FOPADESC. This center is equipped with class rooms and meeting rooms, offices, a restaurant and and sleepingrooms. The building was financed by ACV Construction and Wood. After the merger on African level the building was acquired by the new African organization.

The foundation was officially registered in the Netherlands as "Investment Fund International Trade Union Movement". Article 2 on the aim of the foundation, reads as follows: the fund commits to invest in real estate of WCL affiliated trade unions in Eastern Europe and the countries of the Third World and in everything else what is directly or indirectly related. The foundation is a non-profit organization.

Soon after this, the foundation received the first applications for a loan . There were requests from Africa and Asia for full or partial funding of a trade union building sometimes combined with a training center (Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Indonesia and Philippines). The applications were reviewed by the Secretariat on their financial viability, the applicant's own contribution to the costs of the new building and the future development of the trade union. When both sides agreed on the terms and conditions, a contract was drawn up in which the amount of the loan was recorded, the repayment terms and a fixed (low) interest.

The opening ceremony of the UTAL in august 1975. 
From left to right: secretary of Emilo Maspero, secretary general of CLAT. 
Next to him Eduardo Garcia and Henry Molina, both Deputies Secretary General of CLAT. 
Next to Molina is José Jesus Plana, Director of the new UTAL. 
On his side Acacia Fernandez, 
wife of Emilio Maspero and Director of ILACDE.

The WCL Latin American organization CLAT had bought a seminary in San Antonia los Altos, nearby Caracas, Venezuela. The building was converted into UTAL (Latin American Workers University) with meeting and training rooms, offices, a restaurant, a small shop,a library, a communication office and many sleeping rooms. The purchase of the building had been made possible by the German Christian Democratic Foundation Konrad Adenauer. The necessary reconstructions was financially supported by several Dutch Non Governmental Organizations. The UTAL became a proud symbol of the development of CLAT as regional organization. After the merger of CLAT and ORIT into CSA, the building was sold to the Venezualan Government by ILACDE, the CLAT Foundation for International Cooperation and owner of the building.

The first few years the foundation worked well. There was a kind of dialogue between the Fund and the trade unions that asked for a loan. However, after a while some trade unions fell back in the old habit to use the money to support their favorite partners. Some members of the fund hinted that a loan had to be granted anyway even if the proposed contract was not respected and in some case even when signing of it was not realized. With the announcement of the merger between WCL and ICFTU and its International Trade Federations, the foundation eventually came to an inglorious end.

At the official opening ceremony of UTAL also was present Jef Houthuys (between Maspero and Parra), 
President of WCL and the Belgium Christian Confederation ACV. 
On his left Emilio Maspero and Eduardo Garcia. 
On his right Rangel Parra, 
Secretary General of the Latin American federation of Farmers (FCL). 
Photographs made by petrus, February 1975.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL 39 (ITF's and the WCL secretariat)

In memory of Charles Steck, who died last week 

Last week Charles Steck died. He was treasurer of the WFCW (World federation of Clerical Workers) from 1993 to 2004 (at the front, second from right). The photo has been made in Lomé, Togo at a meeting of the WFCW World Board in 1997 held in the training centre of ODSTA (African regional organization of the WCL). It is tradition to make a picture with the traditional African chief (in front, in the middle). 

As a treasurer, Charles was strict, but with his heart in the right place. He was a man of few words, but with a lot of commitment to the WFCW. He was also much more than a treasurer. He organized seminars for the European organizations of the WFCW about themes such as computerization, increased flexibility, new organizational models, etc.. For Charles the union was primarily a way to give the employee a firm place in the new working conditions by confronting the challenges. Since Charles and his wife Marilena (in front, on the left of the traditional chief) had met with Africa, he strained together with Ivo Psenner, European president of the WFCW (front extreme left), to help financially and otherwise trade unions in Togo.

In a subsequent seminar with leaders of trade unions from other African countries, it was decided to establish an African organization (FPE). As a treasurer Charles made special effort to make possible the WFCW World Congress in Lomé, Togo which was held in 2001. That was the first time an International Trade Union Federation of the WCL held a world conference and later a World Congress in Africa.

Because of the lack of a profound analysis, it is not surprising that the conclusions of the 'Willy Thys paper' brought nothing new. Of course, there must be an efficient service to the members, more coordination of activities, a program of activities related to multinational corporations, activities in the areas of health and safety, rationalization of the institutional operations and much more. But quite apart from the fact that the ITF's were already doing this already for a long time, it is not enough to win new members. Why should one become a member of the WCL if one could get the same and even more with the ICFTU and its International Trade Federations?

To stand out in a credible way, the WCL should dare to present their own vision about man and society, about employer and worker, about the union and private enterprise, about government and state, about capital and labor, about family and so on. Though the WCL had traditionally its own christian and humanist inspired vision, this was not used actively anymore. Of course, that vision had to be adapted on the consequences of the fall of communism and the new developments in the world, but that did not happen at all.

As one can see already in 1998 the international trade union federations in the private sector coordinated together with their regional organizations and CLAT a seminar in the Workers University UTAL of CLAT. 1. Jorge Lasso, Secretary General of the Latin American Federation of Campesinos 2. Doekle Terpstra, President of the World Federation of Industrial Workers 3. Eduardo Garcia, Deputy Secretary General CLAT 4.Victor Duran, General Director of UTAL 5.Eduardo Estevez, Confederal Secretary WCL 6. Dick van de Kamp, Secretary General of the World Federation of Building and Wood Workers 7.Pedro Parra, Latin American Federation of Industrial Workers 8.Marcelo Luvecce, Secretary general of the Latin American federation of Building and Wood Workers 9.Jacques Jouret, President of the International Federation of Textile and Clothing, 10. Bart Bruggeman, Secretary General of the International federation of Textile and Clothing 11.Jacky Jackers, President of the World Federation of Building and Wood Workers 12. Fons van Genechten, Secretary General of the World Federation of Industrial Workers 13. Carlos Gaitan, Secretary general of the Latin American Federation of Industrial Workers 14.José Gomez Cerda, Secretary General of the World Federation of Agriculture and Food Workers

Instead, the WCL choosed for non ideological pragmatism and went on the easy road of rejecting neoliberalism and capitalism as diseases that needed to be be eradicated, saying that the growing globalisation of production and marketing was only bad news for the workers like also the flexibilization of labor and so on. Trade unionism meant more and more protest in stead of also looking for creative answers on the new challenges after the fall of communism and the growing industrial globalisation. The WCL was losing his own voice in the international concert of trade union voices. It became part of the big international choir of international trade unionism, without having an own voice.

At the same time the WCL was restructured on the level of the international secretariat under the guidance of the Secretary General himself. Central and Eastern Europe were not anymore a priority. The Coordination Committee for Central and Eastern Europe and the coordination secretariat for Central and Eastern Europe, established in Bucharest with the help of Cartel alfa, were dismantled. The special budget developed for activities and missions in Central and Eastern Europe was stopped and so there came an end to the special financial support for the new members in central and eastern Europa. This was very painful, because everybody knew that the development of a "new" trade unionism in that part of Europe was for long term, as part of the development into a democratic society and state. What happens today in the Ukraine and the Russian actions on the Krim and in Eastern Ukraine are a demonstration of this.

In spite of the 'Willy Thys' paper on International Trade Action Federations nothing new happened for international trade action. On the contrary, the Secretary General wanted even that the ITF's paid extra for services of the WCL secretariat besides the contribution they already were paying to the WCL. The small amount of money the ITF's received yearly from the ILO for special activities was not used anymore for their activities but went onto the general WCL budget. Manpower to support the ITF's was not extended but in stead more limited. All this together gave fuel to the animosity of the presidents of the ITF's towards the Secretary General.

Photo of the participants of the World Congress of the World Federation of Industrial Workers. President Jaap Wienen (1), Secretary general Fons van Genechten (2), former President Leo Dusoleil (3), Vice-President Carlos Gaitan (4), Board member for Central and Eastern Europe Achille Dutu (5), Pedro Parra (6), Secretary General of the African Federation of Industrial Workers Romuald Nuwokpe (7), President of the Miners Foundation Jean Marc Mohr (8), board member of the Miners Foundation Albert Hermans (9), Italo Rodomonti (10)

Another debate should have been about how a minority organization like the WCL should operate on international level especially within the ILO. One of the possibilities to let hear more loudly the message of the WCL and its ITF's at the ILO was to look for a lobbyist with a lot of trade union and (international) political experience while also speaking fluently different languages and convinced to present the vision and ideas of the WCL on all levels. The opportunity was there because of a change of personnel, but in stead, two young trade unionists were put in the ILO office of the WCL. Therefore, the ICFTU got all the space to do what they wanted in the ILO.

On the other side, the highest priority - financially and in manpower - was given to the renewal of the press office. The Secretary General wanted more attention in the international press for the WCL. This is of course very difficult because why should journalists be interested in the WCL that as an international organization cannot organize strikes or other protests to influence decisions on world level? Moreover, for international trade union organizations there are other ways to influence decisions on international level like for instance the ILO and other UN agencies, like the European Union and its institutions and so on. And another question, is it necessary for the WCL members to read about the WCL in the international press ? What is important for them is to be informed about what is going on in the international field of labor, to get the latest information and if necessary to get access to international institutions.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE WCL 33 ( the ongoing story of the international trade federations)

After the WCL World Congress in Bangkok 1997, at the WCL secretariat 4 secretaries were working at the WCL Secretariat for International Trade Action. From left to right: Gaston De la Haye, Secretary General of the WCT (World Confederation of Teachers), Freddy Pools, Executive Secretary for Transport and other ITF's, José Gomez Cerda, Secretary General of FEMTAA and myself Executive Secretary for WFIW and others and Secretary General of the WFCW. The photograph was taken at the Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle on our way to an Pan African Trade Action Colloquium (February 1998).

Until the official election of former ACV Board Member Willy Thys as General Secretary of the WCL at the World Congress in Bangkok (November 1997), little changed at the WCL secretariat for the international federations. At the Congress itself, there was an incident between the presidents of some International Federations, especially between EUROFEDOP / INFEDOP and the CSC Board. ACV blocked the candidacy for the elections of an Executive Secretary replacing Dirk Uyttenhoven who was going back to the textile and clothing trade union ACV. ACV offered the candidate a job the night before the election. The result was that the presidents of the International Trade Federations had to look for another candidate quickly. Fred Pools, former general secretary of ACV Transcom, was elected the next day.

Half a year after the World Congress, the WCL Trade Action under the Presidency of Jacques Jouret (President of the International Federation of Textiles and Clothing IFTC) made another attempt to set things right for the International Trade Union Federations within the WCL Secretariat. Once again a memorandum was presented which once again referred to the aforementioned Trade Action Protocal that was derived from the WCL World Congress in Mauritius in 1993. Unlike previous memoranda this one entered in great detail about the tasks of the Executive Secretaries and the role to play by the WCL Secretariat.

Participants at the Pan African Trade Action Colloquium at the African training centre FOPADESH of ODSTA/DOAWTU. 1. Adrienne Akouete, Deputy Secretary General DOAWTU, 2. Freddy Pools, Executive Secretary WCL, 3. Koffi Chrysanthe Zounnadjala, Secretary General of the Pan African Federation of Employees FPE, 4. Romuald Nuwokpe, Secretary General of the Pan African Federation of Industrial Workers FPTI, 5. Jan Ridder of CNV Aktie Kom Over, the sponsor of the colloquium, 6. Michel André, Secretary General of the World Federation of Industrial Workers WFIW, 7. Gaston De la Haye, Secretary General of the World Confederation of Teachers WCT, 8. José Gomez Cerda, Secretary General of the World Federation of Agriculture and Food FEMTAA, 9.Gbessi and 10.Klefallah both Staff Members of the African Trade Action Department ODSTA.

The new memorandum not only gave a detailed overview of the tasks to comply by the Executive Secretaries (to be the secretariat of all International Trade Union Federations, to participate in all statutory and other meetings, to prepare reports, to maintain regular contacts with the presidents and general secretaries, to review documents, etc.) but also indicated their duties as Confederal Secretaries (Europe and North America). In fact the memorandum gave instructions to the newly elected Secretary General Willy Thys how to organize his secretariat.

Was it coincidence or it had to do with an internal debate within the ACV on the future of the WCL that just before the WCL World Congress in Bangkok a small paper was published by Tony Janssen, (October 29), President of the metalworkers' trade union of the ACV, containing a proposal for the future of the WCL International Trade Federations? A remarkable paper also because the ACV Metal trade union did not belong to the WCL Trade Action since I arrived in 1992 at the WCL. I remember that once Tony Janssen spoke informally with me quite surprisingly very critically about CLAT at a drink organized by ACV.

Article in the magazine 'Camarade Salut', Novembre 1997 of the Togolese
Confederation CSTT on the foundation of the Pan African Federation
of Employees FPE, affiliated to the WFCW/FME.  

The paper begins with the observation that although there are frictions between WCL and ICFTU trade unions about becoming member of the European Federations, which are ICFTU dominated , that at the end things are not going that bad. (see also “Downfall of the WCL part 13” were it is told that FIET/EUROFIET -now UNI- did not accept the European trade union members of WFCW in spite of the statutes of the the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC ) In the paper it is also established that, in a smaller organization like the WCL it is more easy to come " to a consensus because for example one has not to overcome political- industrial conflicts between USA , Germany and Japan.” What is actually said here ? That a large organization like the ICFTU by definition is much more difficult to manage than a small organization like the WCL, that a large organization has more responsibilities than a smaller or that the WCL is insignificant because the major industrial countries are not represented? If these arguments are all correct then it is still the question if all is said about the significance of the WCL for the international trade union movement . Maybe a smaller organization like the WCL is more agile and flexible than a large organization and therefore more efficient? And may be more important than anything else, what about pluralism?

The paper also establishes that cooperation with "the comrades" is well possible. So President Willy Vijverman of the ACV Food trade union became chairman of the International Food and Agricultural Trade Union Federation UITA and writer of this note Tony Janssen became President of the European Metalworkers' Federation EMF. I have learned that generally international positions say more about money power of the member organization than anything else. Who pays more dues has more power. That is human, and even to some extent inevitable but it goes too far to take it for granted. Perhaps somewhat naive but one of the principles of the WCL was not to take for granted such matters.

In the note the differences between WCL and ICFTU are trivialized. The different visions on mankind, world, society and government are reduced to "village quarrels that must not stand in the way to the strengthening of the international trade union movement." The reality of the international trade union movement is to create a "countervailing power against international capitalism in the globalized economy "and that is why unity is required in the international trade union movement. It seems obvious, but the question unto what this unity should ultimately lead , has gone out of sight. Unity is only instrumental, the question still is where are you going?

Together with the African Trade Action Colloquium there was
also a mission of the  World Federation of Industrial Workers.
The picture is taken during a visit to the phosphate mines of Togo.

At the end of his paper Tony Janssen wonders whether in view of the foregoing, an old proposal by former WCL General Secretary Carlos Custer should not be considered again? This proposal means that ICFTU and WCL together take on certain International Trade Union Federations (for example International Metal Federation IMF). "This also means that the International Trade Union Federations should relate to the ICFTU and WCL like the European Trade Union Federations relate to the ETUC. At least the two international confederations would really be recognized and give their original input (at the next congress of the IMB someone from the WCL can speak in addition to Bill Jordan of the ICFTU). In this way, there remains pluralism without entering in a merely harmful competition for local organizations. "

The beauty of this proposal by Tony Janssen lies in maintaining international trade union pluralism which he calls even imperitive. Although he promises in his paper "to test the proposal within IMF" (he expects little opposition concerning the proposal), unfortunately, never anything has been heard about this anymore. As we now know, it ended into a global merger between WCL and ICFTU followed by some mergers between the International Trade Union Federations of WCL and ICFTU. But we are not yet at the end of this history. A lot has still to be told first.